234 
mergence, as everything covered by the dotted area was under 
water. The undotted light area was not submerged, and has 
never since been submerged. After an indefinite period of sub- 
mergence the whole dotted area was again raised so that all of 
lower New Jersey as we know it to-day came out of the water. 
The Pensauken formation, which is the geologists’ name for most 
of the material eroded from the uninterruptedly emerged Beacon 
Hill, was itself subject to erosion, giving us the present charac- 
teristic stream beds of the coastal plain in the state. 
The next step of serious significance was the encroachment 
of the ice-sheet, which came down to Perth Amboy, not more 
than 12-20 miles north of the Beacon Hill formation. At the 
final recession of the ice there is some evidence of another slight 
'subsidence of the lower part of the state and the coastal region, 
but not enough to have brought the Beacon Hill formation 
anywhere near down to sea level. This last subsidence of the 
coastal strip and the Cape May region had a significant influence 
upon the distribution of the plants of the area. It seems very 
probable that a gradual sinking of this region has been going 
on ever since, as the sea has constantly encroached upon the land 
throughout maritime New Jersey, as indeed it has in Staten 
Island, Long Island, and further north. 
Whether one follows Johnson? in believing that this sub- 
sidence of the coastal part of our area is not recent or continuing; 
or Bartlett! that it is both recent and continuing, does not matter 
so much for our present purposes.” Both agree, and the evidence 
is of such a nature that it appears incontestable, that there was 
a great deal of ancient subsidence. In Cape May County this 
has been of such an extent that whole regions covered by forests 
of white cedar (Chamaecyparis thuyoides) have been submerged, 
emerged, and submerged again. This, repeated several times, 
1? Johnson, D. W. Botanical evidence of coastal subsidence. Science II. 37: 
721. 1910. Science II. 38: 300. 19 
u Bartlet snm Н. Science П. 37: 29. 1910 
12 Тһе writer inclines to the views held by Mr. Н. Н. Bartlett in this very 
понекад ес of coastal subsidence. Еуійепсе of recent and progressive 
í seems conclusive, quite apart from any question of fluctuating high 
tides, which seem to Dr. Johnson to be of so much importance. 
