91 



appearance of various rocks in tlie samples can be explained 

 thereby. 



The existence of rocks at the bottom of the sea can now 

 be proved in many different parts of the territory herein 

 described, but still only in the neighbourhood of the shore. 

 The presence of such rocks indicates that those tracts were, 

 in a comparatively late geological period, higher situated than 

 at present, so that the rocks could be worn away by the atmo- 

 sphaere , and by the erosion of the water. Otherwise we can 

 hardly imagine any power which would produce rocky ground 

 at the bottom of the sea itself, where the deposition of loose 

 material tends to level the floor. We can on the other hand 

 state with equal certainty, that if no submarine rocks are found 

 the territory cannot have been raised at any late geological 

 period. 



It is impossible to determine with certainty how great 

 has been the sinking which has taken place in these parts. 

 The fact that a few of the deepest-lying deposits (over 200 D. 

 fathomsi contain a large amount of material derived from 

 rocks at the bottom of the sea, does not prove that the 

 locality from which the sample was taken has been raised 

 above the sea, it is sufficient if one or more rocks in the 

 neighbourhood have been raised. It seems probable that 

 the sinking may have been about 100 D. fathoms, which is 

 somewhat less than the sinking which has taken place round 

 Iceland. 



It is impossible to say for certain, to what part of the 

 quaternary period this higher situation of the country must 

 be reckoned; the phenomenon itself can only be conjectured 

 from the conditions prevailing at the bottom of the sea and 

 can probably not be connected with other geological phe- 

 nomena. Both in Greenland and Iceland raised layers of 

 .»ilieils are found showinü that the countrv at times has been 



