FORM OF NANTASKET BEACH 171 



bowlders near the supposed former site of this drumlin, the shape of 

 the associated beaches, and the westward protuberance of the shore- 

 hne northwest of Strawberry Hill confirm the descriptions and loca- 

 tion of the drumlin given by the inhabitants. 



West of Nantasket Beach there are many drumlins more or less 

 cliffed by marine erosion. On Nantasket Beach are drumlins in all 

 stages of marine erosion, from slight cliffing to almost complete 

 destruction. East of Nantasket Beach no drumlins are encountered. 

 The suggestion is very strong that the sudden cessation of drumlins 

 to the east is due to the complete removal of formerly existing drum- 

 lins by marine erosion. As will appear later there is strong evidence 

 in favor of this interpretation. 



The beaches.- — Under this head are described the various spits, con- 

 necting bars, beaches, etc., both ancient and recent, which make up 

 the composite feature called Nantasket Beach. 



The beaches at Hull present no striking characteristics. The 

 cliffed drumlins of Nantasket Hill, Thornbush Hill, and Quarter 

 I^edge are close together, connected by lowland areas of till, and the 

 cliffed portions are bordered by a narrow, sometimes bowldery beach. 

 A sand spit, called Windmill Point, is strung out toward the west, 

 probably under the influence of tidal currents passing through Nan- 

 tasket Roads. This group is connected with Allerton by a bar 

 believed to be the result of simple backward tying from Great Hill 

 and Little Hill. The appearance of a Y bar is due to a railroad 

 embankment built across the end of the bay back of- Great Hill in 

 order that the track would not have to be placed in the very exposed 

 position on the seaward side of the Allerton drumlins. The protuber- 

 ance of beach material from the northwest side of Great Hill is 

 explained later. 



From Allerton Great Hill on the northwest to the rock hills of 

 Cohasset on the southeast a relatively straight beach borders the 

 present shoreline. Back of this modern beach one observes parallel 

 ridges of sand, gravel, and cobbles, in all respects similar to the 

 higher part of the present beach which is still being acted upon by 

 the waves. Still farther back the ridges become less prominent, until 

 in the central areas of the Nantasket lowland they are scarcely 

 perceptible. Moreover, they are no longer parallel to the modern 



