Praeger — On the Raised Beaches of N.E. Ireland. 43 



Trophon muricattis. The Foraminifera of the deposit, to the number 

 of sixty, have been determined and catalogued by Wright.^ It is a 

 matter for congratulation that this important deposit has been so 

 thoroughly worked up, as some years ago it was destroyed in the 

 process of road-making. 



I have now enumerated, or referred to, all records that I know 

 concerning the raised beach fossils of the north-east of Ireland ; and it 

 will be interesting to compare this fauna with that of the deposits 

 which immediately underlie the raised beaches, with that of contem- 

 poraneous beds of different character, and with the present fauna of 

 the same regions. I would refer to my Eeport on the Estuarine 

 Clays, pp. 213-6, for a sketch of the geological succession and general 

 character of the post-glacial series in the north-east of Ireland, and 

 the changes of conditions which they prove. It may be briefly stated 

 that the typical series is in descending order : — 



Raised beaches, ) 



TT 1. • ^ \ Cotemporaneous. 



Upper estuarine clay, ) ^ 



Lower estuarine clay. 



Submerged peat. 



Sands and gravels. 



Boulder-clay. 



The only fossiliferous Pleistocene bed yet discovered below the 

 boulder-clay of the district, is the gravel-bed of Ballyrudder, which 

 yields a markedly Arctic fauna. 



The boulder-clay of the north-east exhibits the well-known typical 

 characteristics. Overlying it, in many places, is a fine hard red clay, 

 almost devoid of pebbles or blocks. This bed is more fossiliferous 

 than the stony clay which it overlies. Above this, sands and gravels 

 attain locally a considerable development, especially in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Belfast. These beds require further elucidation : so far 

 as they have been examiaed they yield sparingly a fauna similar to 

 that of the boulder clay. The peat-bed, which comes next in the 

 succession, offers a tempting field for research. Well-preserved plant 

 remains, and elytra of beetles, &c., are often abundant, and mamma- 

 lian remains occur. ^ We do not yet know much of the fauna and 

 flora of this bed, but it contains remains of hazel, alder, oak, willows, 

 Scotch fir, sedges, and flags. Resting on the peat bed comes the 



^ Loc. cit. 



^ See "Eeport on Estuarine Clays," &c. 



