Masterpieces of Science 



to stand out as buttresses, or are even completely 

 isolated in the form of "needles," "stacks," and 

 "skerries. " A good example of marine denuda- 

 tion is furnished by the well-known Needles off 

 the Isle of Wight (Fig. 43). A ridge -of chalk 

 runs across the island from east to west, and it 

 is evident that the outstanding wedge-shaped 



FIG. 43. The Needles, Isle of Wight 



masses were once connected with this main body, 

 though now completely surrounded by the sea. 

 The headlands of chalk have been beaten abouf 

 by the waves until a passage has been forced at 

 a weak point, here and there; and pillars of chalk 

 have thus been separated from the mainland. 



Where the cliffs are formed partly of hard, 

 and partly of soft rocks, the latter will naturally 

 be more easily attacked by the waves. The 

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