304 Sir H. E. Hoicorth— Dislocation of the Chalk. 



of cliff it is only at each end that the chalk and the superincumbent 

 soft beds lie in a horizontal position. In the intermediate space the 

 strata of chalk are twisted, curved, and bent in all ways, in the 

 form of an S or a Z, in a semicircle or stirrup-shape, or, again, cut 

 by chasms, forming enormous faults, and interlaced in the most 

 extraordinary fashion. About the middle of the scarp, at a place 

 called Dronningestol, the confusion attains its maximum, and there 

 the cliff rises to its highest point, 420 metres. The dip of the 

 strata also varies greatly and changes continually, in some places 

 passing abruptly from a horizontal position to a vertical one ; and, 

 what is most remarkable, the inclination of the strata seems less 

 marked at the summit of the scarp, and the inclination of the beds 

 increases rapidly as we go down, and sometimes the beds are more 

 than vertical, the chalk resting on the diluvian beds, but always in 

 order " (toujours en stratification concordante). He gives several 

 sections showing how in several ravines in the island the la}'ers of 

 clay and sand follow the exact lines of the chalk. In other ravines 

 it is only on one side that we have this continuous superposition ; 

 on the other the drift beds are sharply cut off, and often plunge 

 below the chalk, so that the chalk lies on the drift in discordant 

 fashion. The faults are often difficult to find, especially those 

 occurring where the strata are much inclined. By means of these 

 breaks and faults, beds of clay and sand often look as if intercalated 

 in the chalk ; but on examining the place closer, it is found that 

 where the cha^k looks as if it rested on the clay it is separated 

 from it by a breccia filled with angular pieces of flint and mixed 

 with clay containing rolled pieces of granite. 



It is often found that the edges of the inclined strata in the 

 ravines are bent over in a direction opposite to the run of the 

 ravine, showing whence the force has come which made them. 

 The hills in the centre of the island have very steep sides, with 

 pronounced outlines, and are separated by deep ravines, showing 

 that notwithstanding the soft surface mantle, the contour of the 

 country is really due to subterranean forces. The lines of 

 fracture extend to Denmark, and are marked there by fjords, etc. 

 " I am convinced," says Puggaard, " that the surface of Denmark 

 owes its contour much more to the bending and plication of its 

 strata, and to subterranean movements, than could at first sight 

 be supposed from a mere examination of its surface beds." He 

 further argues that the dislocations in the Isle of Moen referred to, 

 all date from about the same geological epoch; but from the different 

 directions of the rents, he attributes them to different shocks. In 

 addition to the principal dislocations, there are secondary ones 

 almost at right angles to the former. 



Puggaard gives many details about the changes in the dip 

 of the strata in various parts of the island, and many sections to 

 show the actual facts; and he concludes that the dislocations were 

 the result of some very violent lateral pressure, which he attributes 

 to the shrinkage of the earth's crust, and which gave way in certain 

 weak places. From the fact of the lower strata being more affected 

 than the upper, he judges that it was rather the result of collapse 



