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