34 
J. G. ANDERSSON, 
(Schwed. Südpolar-Exp. 
Two terraces of the same type I observed on the north slope of the mountain 
inside West Head, Fox Bay. This mountain is shown on Plate 3 b; the photograph 
being taken from the creek next to the north of the mountain. The lower terrace 
was so uneven and irregular that its altitude could not be measured with tolerable 
accuracy. The upper terrace was more even, but I got the impression that it 
possibly slopes slowly in a westerly direction. Its altitude measured 117 m. on 
an average. Both terraces were thickly grown over by vegetation, so there was no 
possibility of finding any beach-shingles. Moreover it looked as if smaller outflows of 
the soil-cap had contributed to obliterate the terraces. 
From the same mountain I saw, when facing north, another terrace on the slope 
of the distant Mount Sulivan. It seemed to be inclined westward, so possibly it 
is no raised beach, but a prominent outcrop of the solid rock. 
As all the terraces mentioned above are to some extent doubtful, my opinion as 
to the submergence of the islands would have remained undecided, had I not found at 
last on the steep slope of Cape Meredith unmistakable raised beaches in the shape of 
considerable shingle-accumulations with pebbles of up to 0,4 m. in length; these shingle- 
beds reaching 69 m. altitude above sea-level. 
According to the observations at Cape Meredith we can consider 69 metres as 
a minimum of submergence in the Falkland Islands. During that time the contours 
of the island group were very different from the present. Of East Falkland only 
Wickham Heights and some isolated mountains rose above the sea, and also the 
comparatively high W. Falkland I. was cut up by several sounds into small separate 
islands. 
It is a striking fact that — except some doubtful records of whale-bones found 
high above sea-level' — no Quaternary fossiliferous marine deposits have been noticed 
in the Falkland Islands, which is the more surprising as all the bays are crowded 
with a flourishing fauna rich in calcareous animals. It is to be supposed that future 
explorations will reveal marine clays underneath the vast peat-beds. 
It has been proved above that the Falkland Islands were once submerged 46, 
possibly 73 m. underneath, and at another time emerged at least 69 m. above their 
present level. As in some places the stone-rivers descend to (and possibly under- 
neath) the sea-surface in the valleys which form the landward continuation of the 
bays, it is evident that the formation of the drowned valleys is previous to the 
period of solifluction that gave origin to the stone-rivers. On the other hand, the 
' Narrative of the surveying voyages of H. M. S. Adventure and Beagle. London 1839. Vol. II. 
P. 277. 
