105 
LINCOLNSHIRE COAST BOULDERS. 
r F.WM. BURTON, F.L.S., F.G.S., 
Highfield, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. 
{n my former paper on this subject in *The Naturalist’ for 
May 1808, p. 133, I invited information and discussion as to 
the possibility of these boulders being brought to the Lincoln- 
shire coast from that of Holderness by what Mr. Harker—who 
Seems partially, at all events, to entertain the view—calls ‘the 
powerful tidal scour from N. to S.’ In answer to this I have 
had two letters: one from Mr. W. H. Wheeler, M.Inst.C.E., of 
Boston, the other from Mr. A. Atkinson, A.M.Inst.C.E., of 
volume of ‘The Naturalist.’ To this note I need not specially 
allude, as all who take an interest in the subject can read it for 
themselves. 
Before quoting from the letters referred to I will briefly give 
my own views for considering the theory of tidal action as 
being, not partially only, but altogether inadequate to account 
for the presence on the flat, sandy Lincolnshire coast of the 
boulders in question. 
I have already in my previous paper shown that the boulder 
clay (from which deposit the stones are admittedly derived) lies 
all along this coast, and is exposed in various places on the land 
adjoining it near to where the stones occur: a fact which does 
account for their being found where they are; but besides this 
1 would take ordinary reasonable grounds and ask how is it 
- possible that the tidal current could carry heavy material with it 
down the shallow Lincolnshire coast against all the obstacles 
divert the action of the ‘scour’ for a considerable distance, 
and how can the boulders get —first across the strong rush of 
water flowing from the river, and then turn towards the land 
and hug the shore again? Surely great difficulties present 
themselves in the way of this hypothesis! Then, coming 
southwards down the coast, we have, successively, the rivers 
at Tetney Haven, Saltfleet, Wainfleet, with the Witham at 
Boston and the Fossdyke Wash, besides many minor streams 
April 1899. 
