MEETINGS. 123 



ANCIENT OR RAISED BEACHES. 



It is felt that this portion of the work is assuming a 

 much more important aspect than was at first anticipated. 

 As the details are worked out and fresh deposits discovered 

 the importance of the investigation increases. This investi- 

 gation is found to be the more important when it is considered 

 that these beaches are in most cases on the sea margin, and 

 suffering constant erosion, which, within a short period, must 

 diminish the number of patches and thus render the recovery 

 of the older sea-line more difficult. 



The following deposits of rolled beach stones have been 

 examined, but they form but a small proportion of the 

 existing patches. 



No. 1. — Barkers (tunnel) Quarry. 



An interesting deposit has been viewed in Barker's 

 (tunnel) Quarry at the back of the second tower. On the 

 south side the quarry section shows a deposit of some 4 feet 

 in thickness and about 20 yards in length, and is flanked by 

 rubble and blown sand (see drawing.) It has not been 

 levelled, but may be considered to be some feet above high 

 water spring tides. It is some 50 yards inland from the 

 second tower. The deposit must have thinned out towards 

 the north, and have been bounded on that side by the out- 

 crop of rock now being quarried. The question arises 

 whether this out-crop and its hilly area was united with 

 Delancey Hill at the date of the submergence giving rise to 

 the beach deposit in question. 



No. 2. — Spur Point 



In a disused quarry at Spur Point a good section exists 

 showing sea-worn rocks, large sea-worn stones, and rolled 

 stones. The beach deposit, as will be seen by the drawing and 

 plan, is about 100 feet from the present high- water mark. It 

 is 40 feet long and 10 feet deep. A smaller deposit exists on 

 the other side of the (marry (marked D on the plan) which 

 proves that the deposit originally extended as far as that 

 point in a westerly direction. This deposit was evidently a 

 small one, and rested against the out-crop of rock which was 

 then under the direct action of the sea, but on the change of 

 level leading to the retirement of the sea has become covered 

 over with sand, rubble and earth, until again exposed by the 

 opening of the quarry. The mean height of this deposit 

 above high water mark is 10 feet, but it varies between 8 and 

 12 feet. (See photograph No. 3 and plan). 



