35 
district. This gravel is piled upon trie peat bed to such a thickness, that 
the latter is seldom exposed except at low water spring tides and after 
heavy gales froro the south-east. 
The same arrangement may be observed, with accidental differences, 
dependent upon the varying form and direction of the coast line, at many 
other spots around the Cornish coast ; for instance, at Penzance, Main- 
porth, the Swanpool, in Falmouth Harbour, &o. 
The vegetable remains of the peat bed seem to consist of specimens of 
the present flora of the county. There is no ground for assuming that 
any of them belong to species even locally extinct. The Alder, Oak, and 
Hazel, the latter with nuts attached to the twigs, are common. Branches 
of coniferous wood, apparently yew, may sometimes be found spread out 
on the surface of the bed after a storm, like specimens in an herbarium. 
In a few of these beds animal remains have also been discovered, 
chiefly of the red deer and ox, with human skulls. Cut branches of 
trees have also been observed. 
The fact that these beds of peat continue down to low water mark at 
least, but can hardly have been formed at a lower level than twenty feet 
above high water mark, seems quite sufficient to prove that since the 
growth of the vegetation on that spot a subsidence of at least forty -two 
feet must have taken place. 
It is extremely improbable that the peat beds have ever been lower than 
at present. Their fragility seems to render it quite impossible to suppose 
that they have been twice exposed to the action of the waves, that is, in 
sinking below the sea level and emerging again. Probably no appreciable 
quantity escapes destruction now, so as to be found below low water 
mark. It seems needless to introduce the supposition in the absence of 
any real evidence in its favour. The presence of raised beaches round the 
coast at different levels, which is sometimes brought forward as proving 
modern elevation, does not prove that elevation to be later than the age of the 
forest beds. It may be, and probably is, much earlier. Nor does the fact 
that in these raised beaches occur recent shells suffice to prove them of 
more modern date than the peat, if we consider how far the life of species 
among the Mollusca exceeds in length that of the higher forms of vegetable 
life. But the most satisfactory proof that no elevation has taken place is 
to be found in the position of the bank of gravel thrown by the sea upon 
the beaoh. In many of the deeper bays this bank has dammed back the 
land water so as to form a pool behind it, which filters gradually through, 
having no other outlet. Over this bar and into the pool the sea occasion- 
