Queries and Answers, 297 



Limestone frovi Coral Bocks. — It is well known that the Bermudas, or 

 Somers Isles, are surrounded by innumerable coral rocks. On examining 

 the limestone of which these islands are principally composed, I am inclined 

 to think it has been formed by the coral being raised above the surface of 

 the sea (for the coral insect works no higher) by some convulsion. In sup- 

 port of this, I have observed many appearances of decomposing coral in the 

 limestone, although it generally resembles the oolite or roestone of Port- 

 land, &c., but with larger grains. Besides this, I have now by me some 

 shells of the Miirex and Trochus genera taken from this rock, the former 

 with the colour as perfect as if recently brought from the sea shore. In 

 this same stratum I also noticed the bones of a whale, on the east side of 

 Ireland's Island (one of the Bermudas). The limestone of Barbadoes bears 

 similar marks of coral, and seems, in common with that of Bermuda and 

 other parts, to be nothing more than the coral rock and coral sand raised 

 from the sea. — W. H., R.N. Yeovil, April 22. 1829. 



A Fossil like a broken Nut. — Some time since, in making a col- 

 lection of fossils from the inferior oolite in this neighbourhood, I 

 found a specimen having all the appearance of a broken nut 

 {Jig. 85.) with the kernel quite perfect. From its habitat (being 

 amidst a great variety of shells), I conclude it must be a marine 

 production, but what it is I should much wish to know. It is 

 true, the same quarry whence it was taken contains a great deal 

 of petrified wood, but its presence is almost as great an enigma to 

 me as the nut itself. — Id. 



The blue Colour of the Sea. — Sir, I remember once to have noticed the 

 last ray of the setting sun, on a fine calm evening at sea, which was of a 

 bright emerald green. I believe the fact is noticed by Lord Byron, in some 

 of his works. Does not this prove the blue colour of the sea, in the same 

 way that the green appearance sometimes observable on each side of the 

 setting sun may be accounted for by knowing that his golden rays intervene 

 between us and the colour of the blue sky beyond? — Id. 



A Corn Spring. — Sir, My attention has lately been called to a corn 

 spring in this parish. L mean a spring which is supposed to indicate, by its 

 flowing, a rise in the price of corn. Such, I believe, have been noticed in 

 many other places ; in particular, one other of a similar kind I have heard 

 of in the neighbourhood of Atherstone in this county. The Dudley's spring 

 (for such is the name by which the one here is known) has long been held 

 in estimation among the lower orders for foretelling, as they believe, the 

 dearness of corn ; and many old people, I am told, have been in the habit 

 of watching its operations, and placing much faith in them. The spring, I 

 should state, is a land spring, which occasionally oozing out of a low boggy 

 corner of a field, flows with a considerable rill down the ditch which sepa- 

 rates this parish from the adjoining parish of Corley. It is often quite dry, 

 flowing periodically only, and at long and uncertain intervals. My personal 

 knowledge of this phenomenon is only of very recent date, as I have never 

 visited the actual spot till this summer, when the spring was flowing ; I can, 

 therefore, only speak from report of the people in its more immediate vici- 

 nity. From them I learn that the spring commenced flowing about the 

 middle of May last, after having been dry for about two years. On the last 

 occasion of its flowing, more than two years since, they acknowledge that 

 the spring did not maintain its prophetic character, as no rise in the price 

 of corn ensued. The most remarkable circumstance relating to this spring 

 (if true, as I am informed) is, that its operations do not appear to depend 

 on the seasons, but that it is often known to flow in a very dry season, and 

 again to be dry in a very wet one. This account, however, is hardly credible, 

 as there can be little doubt, I think, that the flowing of the spring must 

 depend, if not directly, remotely at least, on the quantity of rain that falls ; 

 Vol. II. — No. 8. x 



