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crop of beds, and the base of an escarpment is often 

 inclined in the direction of its length. From this the 

 subserialists argue that escarpments must be formed 

 by meteoric abrasion. This, however, does not 

 appear to be sound reasoning, as the same cause 

 which might induce meteoric abrasion to work along 

 a line of beds, would also similarly direct marine 

 denudation. On any coast-line, if the strata are 

 more or less flat, the sea works principally along one 

 bed, following it up and down ; and even if there are 

 anticlinal curves, it will follow the beds over them, 

 forming a point or headland ; and in such places the 

 sea seems to act more vigorously ; as the waves 

 dash up the slopes with fury, carrying blocks of 

 stone, and the latter in the back-wash abrade the 

 rocks, thus aiding the mechanical force of the sea. 

 Or the sea action will similarly follow up a bed that 

 is striking away from the coast-line, and rising out 

 above the normal level of the waves ; in this way 

 escarpments will be cut by the sea at higher levels 

 than the true coast-line. Farther inland, the meteoric 

 abrasion may also be acting along these beds, and 

 forming an escarpment, so that, if the land rose, there 

 would be one continuous scarp, in part due to the 

 sea, in part to atmospheric influences. This is well 

 exemplified in the previously described cliffs of Arran, 

 Galway Bay ; as there the sea is forming cliffs based 

 on certain shale beds, while, in the interior of the 



