186 GLACIAL GRAVELS OF MAINE. 



the sedimentary drift of the interior of the State thus evidences the pro- 

 gressive retreat of the ice, also the probabihty that the longer glacial rivers 

 did not deposit sediment in all parts of their long channels simultaneously. 



SHORT ESKERS IN MANCHESTER AND LITCHFIELD. 



The following gravel deposits do not seem to have connections, and 

 are probably so many local kames. 



A small ridge is found a short distance east of The Forks, Man- 

 chester. A similar ridge is found in the east part of Bowdoin, and still 

 another a short distance east of Litchfield Post-Oflfice; and there are several 

 ridges forming almost a series in the valley of the Cobbosseecontee Stream 

 in Litchfield. All these are well disguised by the marine clays. Litchfield 

 Plains are a small marine delta, without traceable connections. This plain 

 will be more fully described later. 



LITCHFIELD-BOWDOIN SYSTEM. 



Purgatory Stream rises in the southwestern part of Litchfield and 

 flows northeast into the Cobbosseecontee Stream. About a mile north of 

 the south line of Litchfield an osar-plain begins in the valley of Purgatory 

 Stream and goes southward up this valley to its end. The gravel system 

 then crosses a hill about 100 feet above its north end, being somewhat 

 interrupted near the top of the divide, and then continues southward through 

 Webster into Bowdoin. Not far north of West Bowdoin the series expands 

 into a plain 2 miles or more long, the gravel becoming finer toward the 

 south and quite level on the top, passing from sand into marine clay. It is 

 somewhat fan-shaped, and was a delta deposited in the open sea. At the first 

 settlement of the country it was overgrown by huge pines and was called 

 the "Pine Nurseiy." Man}^ masts of ships were procured here. South of 

 this point the system becomes very discontinuous, and consists of several 

 lenticular ridges or domes, separated by rather short gaps. A mound of 

 this series situated just east of West Bowdoin incloses a deep kettlehole. 

 Its flanks are partly covered by blowing marine sand, and it is sprinkled 

 with some large bowlders having the shape of till bowlders. 



This is a short series, but contains a large amount of gravel and sand 

 for its length. The stones are fairly well rounded. The breadth of the 

 gravel plain at the north end of the system is one-eighth mile or more, a 



