238 Elevation of Conception. part n. 



tlie surface in black earth, consisting of two species 

 of .Mytilus, two of Crepidula, one of Concholepas, of 

 Fissurella, Yenus, Mactra, Turbo, Monoceros, and the 

 Balm us psittacus. These shells were bleached, and 

 within some of the Balani other Balani were growing, 

 showing that they must have long lain dead in the sea. 

 The above species I compared with living ones from 

 the bay, and found them identical ; but having since 

 lost the specimens, I cannot give their names : this is 

 of little importance, as Mr. Broderip has examined a 

 similar collection, made during Capt. Beechey's expedi- 

 tion, and ascertained that they consisted of ten recent 

 species, associated with fragments of Echini, crabs, and 

 Flustrae ; some of these remains were estimated by 

 Lieut. Belcher to lie at the height of nearly a 1,000 feet 

 above the level of the sea. 1 In some places round the 

 bay, Mr. Kent observed that there were beds formed 

 exclusively of the Mytilus Chiloensis : this species now 

 lives in parts never uncovered by the tides. At con- 

 siderable heights, Mr. Kent found only a few shells ; 

 but from the summit of one hill, 625 feet high, lie 

 brought me specimens of the Concholepas, Mytilus 

 Chiloensis, and a Turbo. These shells were softer and 

 more brittle than those from the height of 16-1 feet; 

 and these latter had obviously a much more ancient 

 a]3pearance than the same species from the height of 

 only twenty feet. 



Coast north of Conception. — The first point exa- 

 mined was at the mouth of the Rapel (160 miles N.o f 

 Concepcion and sixty miles S. of Valparaiso), where I 

 observed a few shells at the height of 100 feet, and 

 some barnacles adhering to the rocks three or four feet 

 above the highest tides : M. Gay 2 found here recent 



1 ' Zoology of Capt, Beechey's Voyage,' p. 162. 



2 'An 11 ales des Scienc. Nat.' Avril 1S33. 



