Hunt — On the Action of Waves on 8ea-beaches, 8fc. 265 



seawards, the other two heing nearly covered up with small stones ; 

 in another two minutes number two (the middle one) was carried 

 seawards by a rather heavier wave than usual, whilst number three 

 was nearly out of siglit, covered up ; in another minute and a- half 

 number three was quite covered up ; in two minutes and a- half 

 more, number three was beginning to uncover ; in another two 

 minutes it was bare on the face of the slope (not on its summit) ; 

 in haK a minute more it started downwards, and finally, in three 

 minutes more, had travelled so far seawards as to be lost to sight. 

 Thus, in the space of fifteen minutes and a-half, my three mark- 

 stones were carried away by the waves ; one of them having been 

 in the meantime entirely, and another partially, covered with 

 small stones. The following note was made on the ppot : — " The 

 stones carried away, about 4 or 5 inches long. About 10 yards 

 to eastward, by side of cove, waves not breaking heavily, and not 

 making a ridge, or assorting the stones. The waves, at the point I 

 have been observing, are driving up a ridge of small stones ; query, 

 what will they do when they get to the slope of large shingle behind 

 them ? Will they drive them (the stones) up the beach, or level the 

 ridge ? I placed tlie largest stone I could lay hands on as a mark, 

 and the ridge passed clean over it, and at 2.20 the stone was 

 carried away seawards by the undertow. The ridge now consists 

 of much bigger stones ; . . . to-day, the waves, being very moderate, 

 were carrying the smaller stones up the beach. Wind was S. E., 

 light. It is interesting to observe that, though the weather has 

 been so quiet lately, the small waves have been able completely to 

 demolish any neap-tide ridge : the pebbles forming one sweep from 

 high- water mark to low-water mark to-day." 



" 20th Oct. (Neap tides.) In little cove at east end a bank of 

 small stones, very steep, at and above to-day's water-line ; thence 

 downwards, big beach stones ; the dividing line very sharply 

 defined." 



"28th Oct. (Spring tides.) Strong N. E. wind; strand, 42 

 yards ; all previous ridges gone, within tlie distance." 



" 4th Nov. (Neap tides.) Neap ridge quite new since I was 

 last here." 



" 14th Nov. (Springtides.) It having blown hard from S. E. 

 to N. E. yesterday, I went to Oddicombe this afternoon. Found 

 all ridges swept away, except the highest of last winter. . . „ . 



