Coffey and Praeger — The Antrim Raised Beach. 159 



beach, 10 to 12 feet above high -water mark, which bears on its surface 

 IN'eolithic chipped flints. AVhere the beach is broad, the flints are much 

 more abundant ou, if not confined to, the landward parts; so that 

 while this portion had been already elevated in ^^'eolithic times, the 

 elevation of the seaward portion may be post-Neolithic. There is 

 some evidence of a slight subsequent submergence.^ 



In the north-east of England, in the Humber estuary, a very similar 

 order of events can be adduced. The evidence goes to show a high 

 post-Glacial land surface — an eroded surface of Boulder-clay some 50 

 feet higher than the present land-level. Peat formed on this surface 

 in a temperate climate. Then came rapid depression and deposition of 

 a considerable thickness of marine warp. Emergence succeeded, as 

 witnessed by an upper peat-bed. A final slight submergence is indi- 

 cated by the fact that this upj^er peat is now near low water ; but 

 Clement Eeid suggests that the apparent depression may be due to a 

 change in the tides, l^o human remains help to date any of the move- 

 ments of the series.- 



In central Scotland, also, though authorities have differed as to the 

 dating of the changes of level, the phenomena present a striking con- 

 cordance with those observed in our own district. An excellent 

 general description of the post-Glacial succession is given by Jamieson.^ 

 Above the Glacial deposits in the valleys of the Tay and Eortli lies a 

 bed of peat, an undoubted land surface, on which rest the Carse clays, 

 marine silts which yield a fauna identical with that of our Lovrer 

 Estnarine Clay, iS^?roJ^cw/«r^^^J^?^j^?(?rfl!^« being characteristic ; their fauna 

 indicates "a climate, if anything, milder than at present." Elsewhere 

 around the coast raised beaches, corresponding in elevation with the 

 Carse deposits, are frequent. Eesting on the Carse clays or raised 

 beaches, peat, 8 to 14 feet in thickness, occurs in places, and thick 

 masses of blown sand. Also shell-mounds with chij^ped flints, 

 and elsewhere worked flints lying on the material of the old beach. 

 The level of the Carses and beaches sliows a former depression 

 of 25 to 30 feet below present levels around the Erith of Eorth : 



1 "The Geology of the Isle of Man," pp. 402-4. 1903. (Mem. Geol. Survey) 

 S. V. Wood, jun., and J. L. Home : On the Glacial and Postglacial 

 Structure of Souih-ea&t Yorkshire," Q. J, G. S., xxiv., pp. 156-159. 1868. 

 Clement Eeid: "Geology of Holderness," pp. 77, 111. 1885 (Mem. Geol. 

 Survey.) 



3T. F. Janiieson: "History of the last geological changes in Scotland," 

 Q. J. G. S., xxi., 161-203. 1865. 



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