392 Dr. 0. A. L. Morch—On the Crag of Iceland. 



indicate their relative age with security. From zoological reasons 

 it is however evident that some of the beds are of a more recent 

 date ; whilst others, especially the beds of Husavik Hallbjornastadir- 

 camb,' the best- known formation, is the oldest, and probably cor- 

 responds to the older Crag of England and Belgium. The following 

 authors have contributed to the investigation of this subject : — 



1. Eggert Olafssen og Biarne Povelsen. Eeise igjennem Island, 

 1752-57. Soro, 1772.— In vol. i., pp. 126 and 153, is described a 

 layer of fossils in bluish clay, 7 to 10 feet thick, in the border of the 

 Leyraa and Laxaa (two rivers), containing Pecten Islcmdicus, L., 

 with the colours well preserved, and Gyprina Islandica, L. — In vol. 

 i., p. 410, it is stated that fossil shells are found in several localities 

 in Bardestrands and Isefjords Sysseler, close by the shore, from be- 

 tween one and two to four fathoms above high-water mark, and in 

 several other places in South Iceland, but not afterwards investigated, so 

 far as I know. It is mentioned that near many of the houses are found 

 large heaps (middings) of shells of Cyprina and Mya, eaten by the in- 

 habitants, but which are not to be mistaken for fossils, any more than are 

 the shells and sea-urchins the ravens have left on the rocks far inland. — 

 In vol. ii., p. 936, several localities for fossil shells are mentioned, 

 on the authority of the inhabitants. A hill close to Soget contains 

 shells in a bluish very soft stone, which are washed out by this 

 rivulet, viz., Cardium Islandicum, Oyprina Islandica, and especially 

 Tellina calcarea, Chem. At another place, in a very hard rock, is 

 found Pecten Islandicus, with the colours of the shell preserved. All 

 these localities seem only to yield shells exactly like those noio living 

 on the coast of Iceland. The following locality contains the greatest 

 number of shells, many of which differ from those now living in the 

 seas of Iceland. — Vol. ii. p. 665. Fossil and partly mineralized (crystal- 

 lized) shells are found in a hill called Hallbjornastade-Kamb, 140 feet 

 high, situated close by the shore, in the vicinity of Husavig harbour, 

 on the Eastern part of the North coast of Iceland. The mineralized 

 (crystallized) shells are only found on one spot ; they are mostly 

 shells of Cardium, Venus (Cyprina). The following shells are in- 

 dicated : a. Astarte ; b. Cardium ciliatum ? ; c. Pecten Islandicus ; 

 d. Mya truncata ; e. Buccinum undatum ; f. Littorina ; g. Fusus Olavii, 

 Beck ; h. Natica clausa, and perhaps N. aperta, Loven. 



2. Olaus Olavius. OEconomisk Eeise igjennem de nordvestlige, etc. 

 Kanter af Island. 1780. — In vol. ii. p. 572, is a plate with shells 

 from Halbjarnastadirkamp. The figures are very bad, but the 

 plate gives a very good idea of the abundance and position of the 

 fossils. Tellina, Cyrtodaria, Nassa, TropJion, Pleurotoma, Natica, 

 Bittium f The best figure represents an Astarte, very like to 

 A. caslanea, Say. 



3. Voyage en Islande et aux Gronland, execute pendant les annees 

 1835 et 1836, sur la corvette la Eecherche, commande par M. 



i_ " Hallbjarnarstada-Eamb " is the official way of spelling tliis locality, but the 

 various authors referred to wrote more or less in Danish or old Icelandic ; this will 

 sufficiently explain the diversity in writing this name in the various works here 

 quoted. — 0. A. L. M. 



