Correspondence — W. B. Wright. 383 



how it could be distinct from the modern shore. His statements, 

 moreover, do not agree with those of Geikie and Hull. 



Now to put the facts as briefly as possible. There are three sets 

 of raised beaches traceable over considerable areas in the British 

 Isles, (1) the pre-Glacial, (2) the Late Glacial, (3) the Neolithic 

 (so-called 25 ft.). The submerged forests rest on the sediments of 

 (2), and are overlain by those of (3). The Late Glacial and Neolithic 

 beaches are thus quite distinct. The Neolithic beach is the best 

 developed. It does not occur in the South of England and Ireland, 

 where the only known raised shorelines are pre-Glacial. As regards 

 the demonstration of the warping of the Neolithic beach, the writer 

 has in his possession a notebook containing some hundreds of 

 measurements made by H. B. Maufe and himself in various parts 

 of the country, and covering in a rough way most of the coasts where 

 the beach is found. The measurements were made either with 

 reference to a comparable point on the modern shore or to high-water 

 mark, or to both, where both were determinable. Many extended 

 stretches of coast outside the area of the beach have also been 

 examined without finding any trace of it. These observations have 

 never been published because of their incompleteness. They are, 

 however, amply sufficient to demonstrate the deformation of the 

 beach and its approximation to or disappearance under sea-level 

 along the perij^hery of its area of distribution. The exact position 

 of the zero isobase is very diificult to determine, hence the writer's 

 admission in a letter to Professor Daly that it might lie further 

 south than shown in the diagram referred to. The average gradient 

 is only one or two inches to the mile. 



As regards dates, which Professor Daly expressly asks for, and 

 climatic conditions, which must interest him, we have fortunately 

 some very definite facts, which are in agreement with observations 

 on the continent of Europe. The beach was formed in Early Neolithic 

 or Campignian times, and elevated to nearly its present surface 

 in late Neolithic times. Campignian implements are found embedded 

 in it 12 feet below the surface, and polished stone axe-heads lie 

 on its surface not many feet above present high water-mark. Its 

 fauna indicates a climate some degrees warmer than that of the 

 present day. 



With Professor Daly's contention that eustatic movements of 

 ocean level have taken place in recent geological times, the writer 

 is in perfect agreement, but that the latest movement has been 

 a negative one is not supported by the evidence in this country or on 

 the continent. Outside the zero isobase of the Neolithic beach, 

 in Ireland, England, and Denmark, Neolithic remains are found 

 beneath sea-level, indicating a distinct positive movement. The 

 widely distributed submerged forests dating from early Neolithic 

 or immediately pre-Neolithic times onwards provide very good 

 evidence of a general submergence. The very puzzling Micmac 

 terrace, in its horizontality so u:nlike the post-Glacial beaches of 



