1866.] JAMIESON CAITHNESS. 277 



There are some traces of a recent change in the relative level of 

 sea and land along the coast, but only to a very slight extent. The 

 elevation of beds of coast-shingle cannot be depended on with much 

 exactitude as evidence of the former level of the sea, for storm- waves 

 fling up banks of pebbles to various heights, according to the nature 

 of the coast. Even large boulders and great heavy blocks are moved 

 in this way far above the reach of the tide in calm weather. A re- 

 markable instance of this may be seen a little to the south of Wick, 

 which has been cited by some as an example of iceberg- action. But 

 I was assured by Mr. Joseph Anderson that within the last four or 

 five years some of these blocks have been tossed about by the great 

 waves which occasionally break upon the coast during severe gales, 

 a statement which is confirmed by the observations of Mr. Peach. 

 Mr.Cleghorn also told me that he had seen blocks of thirty tons' weight 

 turned over by the surf 15 or 20 feet above the present level of the 

 sea. Beds of estuarine silt, that have been accumulated in well-shel- 

 tered positions, afford a better means of determining the former sea- 

 level. There are, however, no estuaries in Caithness, and I therefore 

 cannot speak with confidence as to the amount of this recent change 

 of level, but from all I saw I should think the present position of the 

 land is only a very few feet higher than formerly. The beds of old 

 estuarine mud at the firths of Dornoch, Cromarty, and Beauly attain 

 no great height above the present sea-level — not so much as in the 

 firths of Tay and Forth, or even at the Montrose basin. 



Later than this last rise, as shown by their position, are two 

 ancient tumuli in Sinclair Bay, known as " the Birkle Hills ; " they 

 are of large size and of a bee-hive form. They seem to contain some 

 internal chambers, or stone structures of some sort, but have not been 

 properly explored. One of them was partially opened last year by 

 Mr. Laing. The bases of both are only a few feet above the present 

 reach of spring tides ; one of them, at least, is not more than 4 or 

 5 feet above it. The fact of these old remains being later than the 

 raised beach agrees with my observations at the Estuary of the 

 Ythan, in Aberdeenshire. 



KjolcTcen-moddings, or heaps of edible shells mixed \vith burnt 

 stones and the teeth and bones of various animals, abound along all 

 the sandy bays of Caithness ; I observed them in great numbers at 

 Keay, at Ereswick, and at Sinclair Bay. They are often covered by 

 a considerable thickness of blown sand. At Reay I noticed a great 

 quantity of the shells of Helicc nemoralis in these heaps, as if it had 

 been eaten there along with the limpets and periwinkles. Several 

 teeth which I picked up from these heaps were examined by Dr. 

 Turner, Demonstrator of Anatomy in the University of Edinburgh, 

 who pronounced them to belong to the Pig, Horse, Ox, Deer, and 

 Sheep. 



Appendix. 



In regard to the following Tables I have again to acknowledge 

 the kind assistance of Mr. Jeffreys, who has done me the favour of 

 revising the Caithness list, as well as the lists from which the abs- 

 tract, Table no. 2, has been prepared. 



