On the so-called Raised Sea-Beach Bed at Leiili. 427 



Buildings. The cutting passed through 2 feet of soil, and 

 from 2 to 4 feet of ferruginous sand, in which no marine 

 remains could be detected. The extent of the drain, from 

 the margin of the cliff (which is here vertical) up to Anchor- 

 field Buildings, was 90 feet, with a rise of 5 feet. For 

 several years past the sea has been making rapid encroach- 

 ments upon this part of the coast ; and there is evidence to 

 show that, during the last forty years, 90 feet of cliff with a 

 similar gradient has crumbled down and been removed. The 

 bed of sand, which rests on the boulder-clay at a height of 

 12 to 15 feet above high-water mark, has been considered a 

 portion of the so-called raised sea-beach bed. It would then 

 have been 5 feet lower than at present, and, if the slope con- 

 tinued at the same gradient seaward, would come in contact 

 with the ripple-zone, composed of materials similar to what 

 is now observed at the base of the cliff. This zone extends 

 between the limits of the high-water marks of spring and 

 neap tides, where sands and gravel are thrown up in ridges 

 of ever-varying elevation, and amongst which marine rejecta- 

 menta of the most varied character are to be found. The 

 nature and contents of the present ripple-zone deposits are 

 similar to those composing the so-called raised sea-beach bed ; 

 and it is difficult to conceive they could have had a different 

 origin. An attentive examination of the heterogeneous con- 

 tents included in the older deposits, as exposed, for example, 

 at the Foul Burn between Leith and Portobello, will not fail 

 to satisfy the zoologist that the remains of molluscan life, 

 huddled together in a bed several feet thick, could never have 

 been associated during life. The bed is seen resting on the 

 boulder-clay at the level of ordinary spring-tides ; and at one 

 spot is even interrupted by a slight rise in the clay of only 

 3 or 4 feet above the level of the tide. At this place the sea 

 is observed to be again encroaching on the older deposits ; 

 and from observations made by my friend Mr William Young 

 of Fillyside, it appears that 10 or 12 feet of the low cliff 

 has fallen down during the last twelve months. Three years 

 ago, a great abundance of living oysters were cast ashore 

 from the oyster-bed that lies off at a short distance in one or 

 two fathoms water. Several of our geological writers have 



