Hunt — On the Action of Waves on Sea-beaches, 8fc. 289 



1881. October 19, . Easterly gale. 



,, ,, 31, . "Went out to ascertain effects of recent gales on bottom of bay. 



Between Torquay and Paignton some very small cockles, 

 ■witb spines perfect, and showing no signs of damage. 



I have elsewhere recorded how severely these gales had dealt with some of the 

 larger shells and ascidians in the bay [Proc. JR. S., vol. xxxiv., p. 4) ; and the oc- 

 currence of these delicate little cockles in shallow water, at one of the most exposed 

 points in Torbay, was at the time an inexplicable enigma. 



1881. December 25, 



1882. October 3, 



1882. October 12, 



1882. October 13, 



1882. November 13, 



SCIHX. I'UOL'. R.iJ.S, 



My boatman brought me some adult C. aculeatum, taken in 

 herring-nets off the Gas-works (HoUowcombe) . During 

 the past year I have taken none in the dredge. 



On the "Gas-house Sands" (HoUowcombe) picked up an 

 old iron gas-pipe covered with solid tar-stuff. Had it in 

 my hand some time, and took particular notice of it. On 

 rowing off to my sailing-boat, we ran off to a spot be- 

 tween Paignton and Torquay, where small cockles were 

 abimdant last year. Found none. Then on to Daddy Hole. 

 On the way I pointed out to my boatman that the reason 

 shells [collected there, and at Fishcombe (on the south 

 side of the bay), must be owing to an imder-current 

 during easterly winds. Off Daddy Hole foxind the 

 usual shells collected. The second haul of the dredge 

 brought up a rolled piece of tar-stuff about the size of 

 my fist. Next haul brought up a piece of peat from 

 Torre Abbey, and a handful of small coke the size of 

 walnuts. The Gas-house Sands have been covered with 

 coke all the summer. 



Dredged under Daddy Hole. An immense number of dead 

 shells, one old patella, some clinker and cinders, ap- 

 parently from steamers. 



Meadfoot. Searched high-water mark carefully, from slipway 

 to rocks at west end, and did not find a single shell, 

 except one um'ecognizable fragment, as smooth as china. 



Fresh IST.E. gale. Whilst observing the beach at Meadfoot, 

 a barque ran into the bay. "Went round to harbour to 

 ■watch her. George Gumming, a boatman, discussing 

 her position, remarked that in easterly winds there was a 

 contiauous flood-tide {i.e. east-going current) along the 

 shore. Sometimes a "regular cui'rent" past the pier 

 head. Same morning, I watched through a telescope a 

 number of black duck swimming just on the edge of the 

 breakers off Paignton. Sometimes the seas would break 

 outside them, when they would dive, and come up again 

 in about the same place. (See Yarrell, Brit. Birds, 

 vol. iii., pp. 325, 327.) 



— VOL. IV., FT. VI. 2 D 



