7. REPORTS AND MISCELLANEOUS 



247 



historic significance are preferable and a 

 little research will often disclose satisfactory 

 names connected with the history or tradi- 

 tions of the place, some characteristic of its 

 inhabitants, or some outstanding happening 

 in the vicinity. Descriptive names are gen- 

 erally unsatisfactory because most of them 

 have been used repeatedly and their assign- 

 ment to new features only adds to the con- 

 fusion instead of providing names which 

 identify as intended. Such names as Grassy 

 Point, Round Island, Green Island, Mirror 

 Lake, and many other similar names are in 

 such frequent use that they provide no use- 

 ful identification. When the form or char- 

 acter of the feature is so unusual that a 

 certain descriptive name identifies it beyond 

 doubt then that name should be recom- 

 mended. 



7-17 Standard nomenclature. — The fol- 

 lowing terminology should be used in refer- 

 ring to features that conform with the defi- 

 nitions, or when recommending names for 

 previously unnamed features. The definitions 

 are intended to standardize usage in survey- 

 ing, charting, and descriptive or other re- 

 ports. The glossary has no legal significance, 

 but reflects accepted standards approved by 

 the Board of Geographic Names. Some terms 

 are peculiar to a region and shall be accepted 

 when they occur in well established local 

 use. For example, a minor stream is fre- 

 quently called a "branch" along the south 

 Atlantic coast; and a small low island may 

 be called a "key," "cay" (English) or "cayo" 

 (Spanish). 



A. Coastal and Other Visible Features 



atoll. A coral reef generally circular in 

 form with islands or islets in it, the shallow 

 rim enclosing a deeper central area or lagoon. 



bay. An .arm of the ocean, usually smaller 

 than a gulf, that may vary greatly in size. 



bayou. A minor sluggish waterway or 

 estuarial creek, generally tidal or character- 

 ized by a slow or imperceptible current, and 

 with its course generally through lowlands 

 or swamps, tributary to or connecting other 

 streams or bodies of water. 



bight. A small open bay formed by an 

 indentation in the coast, usually not more 

 pronounced than a 90" segment of a circle. 



brook, run, or branch. Minor streams us- 

 ually tributary to creeks or rivers. 



cape. A relatively extensive land area 

 jutting seaward from a continent, or large 

 island, which prominently marks a change 

 in or interrupts notably the coastal trend ; 

 a large feature. Sometimes called a prom- 

 ontory or headland when its termination is 

 particularly rugged or prominent. 



cove. A small sheltered recess or indenta- 

 tion in a shore or coast, generally inside a 

 larger embayment. 



creek. A stream, less prominent than a 

 river in any region, generally tributary to a 

 river or another creek, but often flowing into 

 a bay or ocean. 



harbor. A natural or artificially improved 

 body of water providing protection for ves- 

 sels, and generally anchorage and docking 

 facilities. 



inlet. An arm of the sea, comparatively 

 long with respect to its width and not re- 

 stricted at its entrance, which may extend a 

 a considerable distance inland ; or a relatively 

 narrow passage connecting a virtually en- 

 closed body of water with the sea. 



island. A land area, smaller than a con- 

 tinent, extending above and completely sur- 

 rounded by water at mean high water. 



islet. A very small and minor island. 



key. A small low island, usually composed 

 of sand and coral, spelled CAY in the 

 British West Indies, and CAYO by the 

 Spanish. 



lagoon. A shallow body of salt or brack- 

 ish water of varying size, near the shore and 

 at or very close to sea level, communicating 

 with the sea through a restricted outlet; a 

 body of water enclosed by the reef of an atoll. 



lake. Generally a body of fresh water 

 well above sea level. There are exceptions 

 such as the lakes in Louisiana which are open 

 to or connect with the Gulf of Mexico; also 

 sometimes applied to wide areas of a river. 



middle ground. A shoal in a fairway 

 having a channel on either side. Though a 



