from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
RELICTION. An increase of the land by the sudden retreat of the sea or a
river.
2. Relicted lands arising from the sea and in navigable rivers, (q.v.)
generally belong to the state and all relicted lands of unnavigable rivers
generally belong to the proprietor of the estate to which such rivers act as
boundaries. Schultes on Aqu. Rights, 138; Ang. on Tide Wat. 75. But this
reliction must be from the sea in its usual state for if it should inundate
the land and then recede, this would be no reliction. Harg. Tr. 15. Vide
Ang. on Wat. Co. 220.
3. Reliction differs from avulsion, (q.v.) and from alluvion. (q.v.)