434 J. D. Dana—Depression of Southern New England 
modified by fluvial action varies between 5 feet and 26 feet, 
and rarely exceeds 15 feet. Taken alone, this affords no 
ground for believing that the elevation was less than 10 feet or 
greater than 25 feet. I think that 15 feet is the most reason- 
able inference, for the portion of the coast considered in the 
preceding pages. “aee 
The evidence derived from the structure of the bedding in 
the New Haven region—that is, the direction of the dip in the 
flow-and-plunge portion (p. 418) appears to be good ; but since 
it is difficult to believe that the coast region of the Champlain 
period should have had no flats at the water level, to be 
Lae by an elevation of 40 feet, at a height of 40 feet, it 1s 
ard, in the absence of such terraces, to set aside all doubt 
with regard to that evidence. Hence, although at present 
unable otherwise to explain those facts, I am led to hold the 
conclusion in abeyance. This doubt is in opposition to my 
former statements. But those statements were based mainly 
on a study of the New Haven region, and the few facts from 
Connecticut previously on record. A decline in the height of 
the terrace-plain toward the Sound down to only 5 feet of ele- 
know that such a seaward pitch in the terrace plains exists 
along all the valleys of Southern New England, and that the 
uses appear to be inadequate. It is difficult to believe that 
they could have prevented so completely the existence of shore 
plains above the ce height mentioned, through the whole line 
of coast, even (1) where no rivers sent down their floods, a0 
(2) where distant barriers protected the shores from the heavier 
region wholly from violent seas; so that deposits at or near a 
40-foot or 50-foot level might well have been formed. And 
yet none such exist. 
In the present state of the facts I therefore think that the 
