BROWN ON RAISED BEACHES IN ESSEX. 341 



February 5. 1845. 



Thomas Longman, Esq., J. Durance George, Esq., and Captain 

 Barham Livius, were elected Fellows of this Society. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. On certain Conditions and Appearances of the Strata on the 

 Coast of Essex near Walton. By John Brown, Esq. of 

 Stanway. 



In this paper the author first alludes to the information that has 

 been obtained, of late years, respecting changes of elevation that 

 have taken place on many parts of the earth's surface, at compara- 

 tively recent geological periods, and refers to the memoir by 

 Mr. Smith, of Jordan Hill, on this subject, as illustrating the 

 nature of the evidence to be sought for. He then endeavours to 

 show that such evidence exists with regard to certain beds contain- 

 ing shells, on the Essex coast, which beds he had been able to 

 examine in consequence of their having been laid bare by an un- 

 usually high tide, and by the gradually wasting action of the sea on 

 that coast. He mentions three places in particular, namely, Walton, 

 Clacton, and the valley of the Colne, near Colchester, at each of 

 which he has obtained marine shells from heights to which the sea 

 does not now reach. 



At the first of these, Walton Gap, the author describes a bed 

 to which he gives the name of the till (assuming it to be identical 

 with the beds so denominated on the banks of the Clyde), composed 

 of clay, with boulders of various kinds and sizes, the surface of 

 which is about 5 or 6 feet above high water mark. The beds con- 

 taining shells, and supposed to form a raised beach, are seen to rest 

 r immediately on this till, or boulder clay, and the shells consist 

 chiefly of those of the common oyster (Ostrea edulis) associated 

 with the common muscle (Mytilus edulis), and cockle ( Cardium 

 edule), and other abundant coast shells, such as Venus decussata, 

 Buccinum undatum, and Turbo littoreus. These shells are de- 

 scribed as being for the most part quite perfect, and they are 

 generally covered with sand, or with a freshwater bed, about 5 

 feet thick. The author also alludes to a bed of Turbo littoreus, 

 on the spot now occupied by the terrace at Walton. 



The next spot described is at Clacton, on the same line of 

 coast, and about eight miles to the south of Walton. A consider- 

 able number of marine shells are stated to have been here collected 

 at various heights above high water mark, the highest bed being 8 

 feet. In this case the marine shells are of the same species as those 

 found on the coast and in the adjacent sea, and they are asso- 

 ciated with freshwater species also common in the neighbourhood. 



On the western side of the valley of the Colne, and at a distance 

 of about 600 yards from the river, similar beds of shells are de- 



