24 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
the marsh, and from it the land rises somewhat rapidly into a rolling 
country of low hills. (Fig. 2.) 
On Cutts’ Island there is a mixed forest growth which, on the 
marsh side is almost wholly composed of white pine, but on the main- 
land there is a mixed growth consisting of red oak, pine, maple, white 
birch, hickory, beech, red spruce and elm. About half way between Cutts’ 
Island and the shore of the mainland on the north, there is an island 
several acres in extent, composed of a ledge which projects several feet 
above the marsh and occupied by a forest growth which is almost pure 
oak with only an occasional specimen--perhaps half a dozen in all— 
of spruce. These trees are not large, and they may not be more than 
seventy-five to one hundred years old, but the occurrence of an isolated 
flora of this description within so short a distance of a mixed forest, 
presents features of much interest. (Fig. 3). 
The fresh water stream which gains an entrance to the marsh at 
the railroad bridge, pursues an irregular course, gradually gaining in 
width and at various intervals forming irregular branches which, toward 
the lower end finally unite in a smail lagoon near the point of exit into 
the ocean. This channel is not deep, and at low water it is occupied 
by only a small volume of fresh water confined to the central and deeper 
portions, but not in sufficient quantity to float a row boat for more than 
a few rods beyond the lagoon. This channel has been cut through the 
structure of the marsh as indicated by the character of the side walls, 
and although no direct observations were made to determine the fact, 
it is probable that for a large part of its extent, at least, it rests upon 
the basal portion of the marsh. The bottom has become lined with a 
silt which forms a soft mud in which clams and other marine mollusca 
thrive in large numbers. 
A secondary channel leads southward from the main body of the 
marsh through the narrow arm already described, and connects with 
Chauncey Creek just beyond the highway bridge. This channel is very 
tortuous, narrow and shallow, and so much above the main channel that 
it is wholly drained at low water, but at every high tide it contains 
sufficient water to permit the passage of a row boat. At frequent 
intervals along the channel roots of trees may be seen projecting from 
the almost vertical banks, but, although known for a long time, they 
had never attracted special notice. 
The water courses of the marsh merge into a small lagoon located 
immediately behind the barrier beach, which constitutes what is known 
as Brave-Boat Harbor, a body of water of sufficient capacity to give 
accommodation to several small boats. The barrier beach is low, and 
it occupies the narrow gorge between two rocky headlands which are 
