against the German Ocean on the Norfolk and Suffolk Coast. 297 



opportunity of observing an interesting instance of the early 

 part of this process, on the coast of Hampshire, within the 

 last month. Upon a small, newly-formed hillock of sand, in 

 a moist situation, a single plant of the Anmdo genus had esta- 

 blished itself. It had struck out lateral shoots so vigorously, 

 as to induce me to take more accurate note. On measuring 

 one of its stolones I found it to be twelve yards long ; and se- 

 veral others, radiating from the original stem, were not less 

 than ten yards each. When thus arranged, their extremities 

 formed a circle, whose diameter was upwards of twenty yards. 

 The joints of the shoots were from six to nine inches asunder. 

 From each or most of these a root was directed downwards 

 into the sand, and one or two young shoots upwards. Cal- 

 culating them by the number of stolones, it appears that this 

 plant, during a single year, had multiplied itself five-hundred- 

 fold, or had produced what was equivalent, the rudiments of 

 so many distinct plants, independent of the further power of 

 production by seed. 



I proceed to notice two or three other principal points along 

 the eastern coast, where alluvial deposits have been made un- 

 der circumstances very similar to those which produced the 

 first we have described at Yarnrouth. 



At Lowestoft Ness, about seven miles to the southward, 

 the sea has erected a complete series of natural embankments 

 agahist itself, aflPording a fair illustration both of the forma- 

 tion of low tracts of land, and of the barriers by which they 

 are defended, (fig. 2). The present extent of land thrown up 

 by the sea, chiefly above its own level, and, excepting in a small 

 portion, out of reach of its highest tides, is nearly three miles 

 long, projecting from the base of the original cliff, to the di- 

 stance of 660 yards, at the point of the Ness. This encroach- 

 ment has been effected at distinct and distant intervals: its 

 form is influenced by the direction of the currents in the chan- 

 nel or roadstead, and the position of the adjacent shoals ; and 

 the lines of growth are indicated by a series of concentric 

 ridges or embankments, inclosing certain areas. Several of 

 these ridges have been formed within the observation of persons 

 now living, the process being precisely similar to that by which 

 I attempted to account for the great bank across the jcstuary of 

 the Yare. A rampart of heavy materials is first thrown up 

 to an uimsual altitude, by some extraordinary tide, attended 

 with a violent gale. Subsequent tides extend the base, and 

 heap up ligliter substances upon its summit. Sand is blown 

 from the beach and fills the interstices. The Arundo and other 

 marine plants, by degrees obtain a footing; creep along the 

 ridge, give solidity to the mass, and in some cases form a 



A'atiNrnVi. Vol. 2. No. 10. Or/. 1827. 2Q matted 



