666 PEOF. T. m'keknt HUGHES OlST THE ancient 



is any vein of a similar colour and texture on Luudy Island, capable 

 of producing a block of such magnitude. The nearest point of the 

 Dartmoor Granite is exactly 30 miles from Saunton, but any of a 



Fig. 6. — Boulder of Red Granite in base of Ancient Beach South of 

 Saunton Down, North end of Barnstaple Bay (April 1] , 1887). 

 (Scale 7j feet to 1 inch.) 



a. Recent shingle. d. Pilton Beds. 



b. Boulder of red granite. 



c. Consolidated blown sand, modified at base by action of sea. 



red colour can only be obtained in very few localities, and at a 

 much longer distance." 



The Eev. Dr. Williams* was of opinion that it could not have 

 come from Dartmoor or Cornwall, or Lundy, but that it resembled 

 much of the granite of the Grampians. 



The boulders all occur in caves or at the base of deposits now 

 being washed by the sea ; in fact they would not be seen at all 

 if they were not within reach of the breakers which are under- 

 mining the cliffs and exposing the original surface of the solid rock 

 and the boulders which rest upon it, so that it is clear that they 

 may have been tossed into their present position by the waves of 

 the sea at its present level. The size of the boulders, and the height 

 to which thej* have been thrown, is nothing for that western sea in 

 storm ; all round the coast we find plenty of larger blocks carried 

 higher. 



The character and mode of occurrence of these boulders does 

 fairly raise the question whether there are any satisfactory traces of 

 glaciation south of the Bristol Channel. 



Mr. Townshend Hall f remarks on this subject : — " The great ice- 

 sheets which in the Glacial Period covered the northern part of 

 England and "Wales, are not general!}* supposed to have extended 



* Trans. Geol. Soc. vol. v. p. 287 ; Proc. Geol. Soc. vol. ii. p. 441. 



t " A Sketch of the Geology of Devonshire by Townshend M. Hall," White's 

 History, Gazetteer and Directory of the County (Devon), Sheffield, 1878, p. 16. 

 See also Ussher, " Physical Features of Devonshire," Trans. Devon. Assoc. Sci. 

 Lit. & Art, vol. xii. 1880. 



