Mr. Warburton on Shell-Mark. 307 



the middle of the loch, where it is eleven feet thick, to the edges of 

 the moss, where it does not exceed in thickness a few inches. 



The marie of Resteneth consists of the shells belonging to the 

 Helix putris (Pennant), (peregra Montagu), and the Cardium am- 

 nicum (Mont.), both which are now found living in the waters 

 that flow through the loch. Neither of these in size much exceed 

 a pea ; yet not less than two millions of cubic feet of marie had 

 been dug between the years 1794 and 1807 for agricultural pur- 

 poses.* 



Resteneth loch lies about twelve miles distant from the sea at the 

 level of 196 feet above low water mark. It gives rise to a con- 

 siderable stream, which flows into the sea about thirteen miles east 

 of the loch, after forming in the three first miles of its course the 

 lochs of Rescobie, Balgarvie and Balmodin, in all which shell marie 

 is obtained by dredging with boats ; in the loch of Rescobie at the 

 depth of 25 fathoms. 



Lord Duncan's loch is situated in the parish of Lundie, eight or 

 nine miles north-west of Dundee. It covers an area of seventy 

 acres, of which fifty have been drained, and from which shell marie 

 is dug, as in that of Resteneth. 



In all these places we have the same appearances ; the marie al- 

 ways occupying some natural hollow or basin, which either is or 

 has been the site of a pool of water. In Resteneth loch we have 



* The shell marie in an economical point of view is of some importance. On the estate 

 of Mr. Cleghorn, from an area of half an acre, a quantity has been raised that would have 

 cost £2500. if procured from St. Andrew's, after being imported thither from the shire 

 of Angus. At Resteneth it is dug with the spade, and sold to farmers at 2d. the cubic 

 foot, from two hundred and fifty to five hundred cubic feet being laid on the English 

 acre. That which lies immediately under the moss is reckoned the best. Some mention 

 of the economical use of shell marie will be fouud in the Statistical Survey of Scotland, 

 under the heads of several of the above mentioned parishes. 



