of Edinburgh, Sessioii 1877-78. 
663 
Before, however, describing these higher terraces, it may be right to 
refer to certain flats at the mouths of the valleys near the sea. 
The town and village of Glenelg are situated on a flat which 
prevails all along the Scotch coasts, about 11 or 12 feet above high- 
water mark. Between Glenelg and Glenbeg the base of some 
high rocky cliffs is at the same level. 
Mr Fraser, schoolmaster at Glenelg, having learned that the 
Convener was desirous of seeing examples of flat land, conducted 
him to the following spots : — 
(1.) At Glenbernera, about half a mile to the north of Glenelg, 
there is a well-defined flat, about 44 or 45 feet above high water. 
A corresponding flat occurs at many other parts of the coast. 
(2.) Behind and above the new schoolhouse at Glenelg, there is a 
considerable extent of flat land, at a height of 72 feet above high 
water. On the opposite, i.e., the south side of the valley, which is 
half a mile distant, there is a flat at exactly the same height, 
judging by the spirit-level. The river has cut through this flat. 
Its original formation cannot be ascribed to river action. 
Beyond the manse and church, there is another extensive flat, 
88 feet above the sea. 
In a higher part of the valley, there are terraces on a smaller 
scale. If they slope with the river, as they seem to do, they pro- 
bably had been formed by the river, when it ran at a higher level, 
that is, when the sea also stood at a higher level than now. 
Near the mouth of Glenbeg, about a mile from the sea, there 
is a great mass of detritus, through which the river Beg has cut 
its channel. There is a flat here also on each side of the river, the 
level of which is about 120 feet above high water. 
Fig. 6, Plate I. is (from memory) a plan of this valley. The parts 
marked a , a, &c., are patches of detritus, the tops of which are all 
on the same level, or very nearly so, viz., 50 feet above the sea. 
The whole valley apparently had been filled with detritus, when 
the sea stood at least 150 or 200 feet above its present level. As 
the sea retired, channels were cut in the detritus, not only by the 
main stream now occupying the valley, but by the numerous and 
rapid side streams from the steep mountains which enclose the valley 
on both sides. 
At about 3 miles from the sea, the place in Glen Beg is reached, 
