60 THE PHYSIOGRAPHY OF CALVERT COUNTY 



somewhat and then again runs out eastward to Little Cove Point and 

 then southward again to Drum Point. Although this divide describes a 

 most circuitous line, it is throughout its entire extent situated to the 

 east or the Chesapeake side of the central line of the county. In only 

 two places does it approach this middle line and it usually lies well over 

 toward the shore of Chesapeake Bay, particularly in the southern half of 

 the county. 



As would be expected from the position of the divide, the streams 

 which empty into Chesapeake Bay are very much shorter than those 

 which find their way into the Patuxent Eiver. The most important of 

 the former drainage lines are Fishing Creek and Parker Creek, while 

 among the streams which empty into the Patuxent Eiver should be 

 mentioned Lyons, Hall, Cocktown, Hunting, Battle, Island, St. Leonard, 

 Hellen, and Mill creeks. Fishing Creek and Parker Creek were formerly 

 estuaries, but their lower courses have noAV been filled and transformed 

 into marshes. Among the streams which empty into the Patuxent Eiver, 

 Hunting, Battle, Island, St. Leonard, Hellen, and Mill creeks are all 

 estuaries through their lower portions. 



Another fundamental difference is to be noted between the streams on 

 either side of the central divide. Those which empty into the Patuxent 

 Eiver not only are longer and are converted into estuaries throughout 

 their lower portions as explained above, but also are bordered extensively 

 alons; their lower reaches bv the two lower terraces. Their headwaters 

 usually flow in steep valleys, but their lower courses are tidal and are 

 bordered by low banks which rise gradually to higher land situated some- 

 what distant from their shores. On the Chesapeake side of the divide 

 the streams are short, steep, rapid and flow through steepsided gorges. 

 Some of them, in fact, have not yet been able to sink their valleys to the 

 level of the Bay shore and cascade 50 feet or more from the mouths of 

 their valleys to the beach below. 



The reason for this striking difference between the character of the 

 streams flowing eastward into the Chesapeake and those flowing west- 

 ward into the Patuxent seems to be entirely due to the greater erosive 

 power of the waves of the Chesapeake as compared with those of the 



