230 The American Geologist. April, 1902. 
Franklin. In this area there were four outlets, three of 
which were south of Whiting pond and the fourth just south of 
the Pinnacle. According to the topographical map, these outlets 
vary in elevation between 240 and 280 feet, but like the Bel- 
lingham and Franklin outlets, they shotld probably all be re- 
ferred to a single stage of the lake, the elevation of which was 
somewhat variable. During these stages the lake was confined 
to the region south and west of Norfolk. The areas covered 
by water are indicated in plate 16. 
Charles-Neponset Stage. By the continued recession 
of the ice during the Bellingham and Wrentham stages a pas- 
sage was opened to the east along the north end of the ridge 
north of Foxboro, and lake Charles then became confluent with 
lake Neponset. The development of the Neponset lake had 
been going on simultaneously with lake Charles, and the ice 
had by this time receded far enough north to open the Stough- 
ton outlet, at an elevation of about 200 feet. This, being lower 
than any hitherto uncovered pass in either basin, became the 
sole outlet for the confluent lakes. The deposits of this stage 
extend up the valley of the upper Charles beyond North 
Bellingham, and in the valley of Mill brook as far as Whiting 
pond. Northward they extend nearly to Soutk. Framingham. 
The presence of 200 foot deposits west and north of Great Blue 
hill shows that while this area was covered by water the Mon- 
atiquot outlet was still blocked by ice on the east. 
Sudbury-Charles-Neponset Stage. With the disappear- 
ance of the ice from the valley of the Monatiquot river, an out- 
let was opened along the south side of the Blue hills at a level 
of about 160 feet, allowing the water to overflow to the east, 
into lake Bouvé,* which at this time had a level of about 120 
feet. During this stage the Charles and Neponset lakes were 
confluent at two points; first, through a narrow pass, perhaps 
not over 500 feet wide, between the valley of Mine brook in 
Walpole and Stop river in Medfield; and second, at Dedham, 
where the pass was nearly two miles wide. Lake Charles 
was also confluent with lake Sudbury, the water overflowing 
through the Monatiquot being not only that due to the melt- 
ing of ice in the Charles-Neponset region, but also that of a 
* A. W.GRaRAU, Lake Bouve, Occasional papers, Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 
iv, part 3, pp. 554-600. 
