40 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



V. ovata. V. r. Lacuna diva/ricata. v. r. 



Tapes virgineus. v. r. Littorina ohtusata. v. r. 



T. aureus, var. ovaia. v. r. Z. litorea. c. 



Tellina lalthica. c. L. rtidis, var. tenehrosa. v. r. 



Sorohicidaria alba. v. r. Rissoa striata, r. 



;S, piperata. r. Sydrolia ulvcB. r. 



Patella vidgata. c, ^c/^'-s supranitida. v. r. 



Selcion pellucidum. var. ?<et7«s. Cerithium reticulatum. v. r. 



V. c. Purpura lapillus. c. 



Trochus cinerareus. c. Buccinum undatum. r. 



^. umhilicatus. v. r. Murex erinaceus. v. r. 



jT. magus, v. r. Melampus hidentatus. v. r. 



This is by far the most fossiliferous bed yet discovered in the 

 Larne raised beach, and ten of the species are additions to the fauna ; 

 the shells were in a much better state of preservation than those of 

 the overlying gravels. 



Stiri'up^ mentions this sand bed as fringing the present shore from 

 Larne [Harbour] northward to "Waterloo, capped by gravels, the top 

 of which was five to six feet above high water. The sand contained 

 thick beds of shells, consisting for the most part of Patellae, Littorinse, 

 and Trochi, which might be traced for several yards at a time, and 

 then died away. He notes the following species of fossils : — Patella 

 vidgata, P. Icevis, Pectxmcidus glycymeris, Scrolicularia piperata (?), 

 Trochus cinerareus, Littorina littoralis, L. rudis, L. litorea, Purpura 

 lapillus, tooth of Bos longifrons. The last-named was found firmly 

 embedded in the sand at its junction with the overlying gravel, and 

 was determined by'Prof. Boyd Dawkins. On account of its smaller 

 elevation above the sea, he placed this deposit on a horizon with the 

 raised beach at Kilroot, &c., and considered them of a later date than 

 that of the Curran (along with which, by the way, he places the 

 glacial raised beach of Eallyrudder, which is capped by a thick deposit 

 of boulder- clay). Eut in spite of the much better preservation of its 

 fauna, there can be no doubt that the sand-bed is of the same age as 

 the Curran gravels, and has its place, indeed, near the base of the 

 series. Fig. 3 shows clearly how the sand runs in under the gravels, 

 and as to the state of preservation of its fauna, it has elsewhere^ 

 been stated that the fossils in the lowest bed reached during the 



^ Loc. eit. 



■ Proc. B. N. F. C, 1889-90. 



