1858.] JAMIESON PLEISTOCENE, ABERDEENSHIRE. 521 



Here, then, we seem to have the remains of the animals imbedded 

 in their native mud. The assemblage and the deposit itself both 

 indicate deep water ; and these same species have been found con- 

 gregating at a depth of from 30 to 100 fathoms on the western coast 

 of Scotland, where they have all been dredged alive by Mr. MacAn- 

 drew. They are species, however, which are characteristic of a more 

 northern region at the present day : in fact, until within these few 

 years, the Leda pygmcea was not known to occur so far south as 

 Britain, being principally developed in the Arctic seas ; and even 

 now it is known in only one locality, namely the neighbourhood of 

 Skye. 



This clay-bed appears to have suffered much denudation, and has 

 an irregular undulating surface. No considerable section is exposed ; 

 and, as far as I could see, it appeared to be of a very uniform tex- 

 ture, without any distinct stratification-lines. The position of the 

 shells is little above the present high-water mark ; and the clay-bed 

 appears to pass in below the beach. 



We have here a great change indicated, from this old muddy sea- 

 bottom to the present sand-encumbered coast, which abounds at this 

 place in broken shells. In the course of a short search along the 

 beach, I picked up specimens of the following species, mostly in 

 broken fragments : — 



Purpura lapillus. Tapes pullastra. 



Littorina littoralis. Donax anatinus, 



Patella vulgata. Pecten pusio. 



pellucida. opercularis. 



Cyprina Islandica. Nassa iucrassata. 



Cypraea Europsea. Buccinum undatum. 



Trochus cinerarius. Mytilus edulis. 



zizypbinus. Solen ensis. 



? Astarte sulcata. Venus striatula. 

 Mactra solida. 



In some of the banks in the neighbourhood I found fine blue clay, 

 of a similar appearance to that in the brickwork, but containing 

 numerous minute regular crystals of sulphate of lime. 



I have now sketched the greater part of the eastern coast of 

 Aberdeenshire, and have shown that a deposit of stratified sand and 

 clay, often of great thickness, appears to occur with considerable 



specimens of Forarainifera. Of Mollusca there were two or three species of 

 Cylichna (one of which seems to be C. cylindrica, the others resembling C. ob- 

 tusa or C. mammillatd)—* single valve of Kellia, apparently K. sub orbicularis, — 

 decayed specimens of Panopxa Norvegica and Mya truncata, variety pullus of 

 Wood's ■ Mollusca of the Crag.' These shells, however, were so decayed and 

 friable as to render their determination difficult and doubtful. They did not 

 occur in broken fragments, but were perfect in form, although the shelly sub- 

 stance was gone. I was told also that the skeleton of a fish had been found 

 some years ago, but had not been preserved. Messrs. W. K. Parker and Rupert 

 Jones have kindly examined microscopically some of the Annochie deposit, and 

 they inform me that in about two thimblefuls of the dark-slate-coloured, fine, 

 sandy clay, with roundish quartz-grains and some brownish mica, they have found 

 several fine specimens of the Polystomella crispa, var. striatopunctata, two large 

 specimens of Cornuspira foliacea, and a few little fragments (plates) of Echinus. 

 —October, 1858. T.F.J. 



