On the so-called Raised Sea-Beach Bed at Leith. 423 



Cuvier and Professor Buckland, inconsistent with the Testi- 

 mony of Moses and the Phenomena of Nature." A general 

 description of the superficial accumulations has been given by 

 Mr Milne-Home in a valuable memoir " On the Lothian Coal- 

 Fields. " This author states, that it is possible to identify and 

 individualise at least seven formations, each having separate 

 characters, and probably belonging to different epochs. Under 

 the existing soil supporting vegetation, there is, 1st, An upper 

 covering of gravel and boulders ; 2d, A deposit of sand and 

 shells ; 3d, Beds of fine sand ; 4=th, Beds of fine clay ; 5th, 

 Coarse gravel or stony clay ; 6th, Lowest boulder-clay ; 7th, 

 Beds of sand and gravel. In the " Lithology of Edinburgh," 

 Dr Fleming divides the strata belonging to the modern epoch 

 into three groups, — First, The Taragmite series, formed subse- 

 quently to the dressings and groovings of the solid rocks, and, 

 where present, reposing on them. They seem to have been 

 formed when violent aqueous movements were taking place, 

 and probably at a period when the state of our island was 

 widely different from the present. The second, or Akumite 

 series, is chiefly characterised by its laminated clays and sands, 

 and indicates the assorting power of water under circumstances 

 of comparative tranquillity. The third, or Phanerite group 

 consists of deposits produced by causes in ordinary operation, 

 and respecting the circumstances under which they have been 

 formed little obscurity prevails. I had repeated opportunities 

 of visiting the critical sections in this neighbourhood with the 

 late Professor Fleming, and of verifying the accuracy of his 

 observations. I shall therefore make use of these generalised 

 expressions in the remarks which follow. 



The lowest bed of the Taragmite group which has been ob- 

 served in this neighbourhood consists of loose angular frag- 

 ments of rock, 2 to 3 feet thick, which rest on the edges of strata 

 composed apparently of the same materials, and in other places 

 of sand and gravel. The extent of this basement deposit is at 

 present but little known. The result of three borings, shown 

 in a diagram which is copied from one in possession of Mr 

 George Robertson, civil engineer, proves that the basement 

 bed of the Taragmite series is of considerable extent in the 

 neighbourhood of Leith. Two of the borings were made for 



VOL. II. 3 I 



