No. 200. i 
129 
Coney Island, which is mostly alluvial, is rapidly washing away on 
its south side, where it is exposed to the full force of the ocean swell. 
A new direction given to the tidal currents by some recently formed bar, 
is probably the cause. Mr. John WyckofF, who lives near the Ocean- 
House, remarked that the sandy part of the island was a mile broad not 
many years ago, though now it is not more than half that breadth. He 
informed me that every storm made a sensible difference, and that some 
years ago the sand hills south of the Ocean-House were covered with 
small pines and bushes, and that in a single night, during a violent storm, 
the trees and bushes, and much of the earth, were washed away.* 
The high grounds near the two light-houses on Staten Island are 
wearing away by the action of the waves, and the materials are mostly 
deposited on the adjacent beaches, which extend for a considerable dis- 
tance west of Foit Tompkins, and east and west of the southwest light- 
house. The high bank near Brown's point, on Staten Island, is also 
washing away. Here a bank of shells about two feet thick is exposed, with- 
in eight or ten inches of the natural surface of the ground. They ap- 
pear to be recent shells deposited there, not by nature, but by the hands 
of the aborigines of the country. 
Beaches^ Spits ^ Bars^ fyc. of Querns^ Kings ^ and Richmond counties. 
The beaches at Middle Island, Oak Neck, Fox Island, Peacock's, 
Martinecock and Sands' Point, which are formed by the accumulation of 
the sand and shingle swept from the adjoining headlands by marine cur- 
rents, and the oblique action of the surf, have already been mentioned. 
Other beaches, but not so extensive, occur on the north coast of 
Queens county. 
Sand spits are unfinished beaches, and long tongues or points of land, 
formed of sand and shingle, by the transporting action of currents and 
the waves. 
In Cold Spring Harbor, a sand spit extends from the west shore, ob- 
liquely, nearl^^ across. It is formed by the northeast storms driving in 
a heavy swell, which washes away the high banks at the south point of 
land between Cold Spring Harbor and the entrance to Oyster Bay. The 
materials are transported by the currents and weaves, and deposited to 
form this spit. 
* At low water, traces of the ancient salt marsh can be seen, about one mile east of Mr. 
Wyckoff's, on the edge of the beach. This is conclusive evidence that this part of the island 
is washing away, if verbal evidence from observing individuals long resident on the spot was 
not deemed sufficient. 
[Assem. No. 200. J 13 
