GLACIAL GEAYELS OF COASTAL EEGION. S87 



230-foot contour over large parts of the State. The steeper slopes were areas 

 of greater than average denudation by glacial rivers, and the more level 

 plains were areas of accumulation. The marine delta.^ of York and Cum- 

 berland counties pass upward into great tracts of reticulated ridges that 

 rise to 450 or 500 feet in a few of the valleys, but the deltas in that part 

 of the State are at 230 to 250 feet. Obviously the proximity of the change 

 in slopes with the old shore line is a mere coincidence. 



3. Possibly a more rapid rate of melting. The lower marine clays are 

 blue to black in color and are very fine grained and often richly fossiliferous. 

 The later marine clays pass upward as the basal clays of the valleys, they 

 are lighter in color, they seldom contain fossils, and in general they are a 

 little coarser grained. Evidently quiet conditions prevailed for a time after 

 the ocean advanced and animal life flourished. Later the conditions were 

 unfavorable. If due in part to the great inflow of fresh water, this proves 

 more abundant fresh waters. If due to the muddiness of the water, tlie 

 streams must have been rapid, which could be accounted for by increase in 

 the size of the streams or by steeper land slopes. Apparently the reeleva- 

 tion of the land took place after the upper marine clays were deposited. 

 The advance of the sea over considerable portions of the land ought to have 

 helped to ameliorate the climate at the time it stood at its highest level 

 irrespective of other conditions. On the whole, we conclude that while it is 

 not positively proved that there was any marked increase in the flow of 

 fresh waters into the sea at the time it stood at its highest level, yet this is 

 probable. 



The above-cited causes help to account for a large development of the 

 glacial sediments at or near the highest shore-line. In comparing the 

 gravels at this elevation with those found near the present shore, we are 

 confronted by an important question: Did the ice retreat from the coast 

 region before the advance of the sea ! 



If this had happened, we ought in that region to find overwash gravels 

 and terminal kames, such as naturally mark the recession of ice on the 

 land A good place to look for such gravels is at the Waldoboro terminal 

 moraine. It is 6 miles long and crosses two valleys favorable to the forma- 

 tion of overwash aprons. At the road from Waldoboro to North Waldoboro 

 are a few bars of subangular gravel that probably are an overwash deposit 

 made while the moraine was being formed. If there is any other overwash 



