1902. WEI.CH. — The Gobbins Cliffs and Caves^ Co. Antrim. 215 



also formed on the upper part of this cave small but very pretty 

 stalactites of an unusual form, like a branching coral. With 

 the bones in some hollows in the lowest part of the cave 

 reached, and far from the mouth, were land shells ; these may, 

 however, have been washed in through the debris at the mouth 

 during heavy rains. Other caves partly filled at the mouth 

 have also been cleared. Some have fine clusters of the Sea 

 Spleenw^ort, Asplenium marimcm, fortunately far removed 

 above danger from the fern hunter, and a 7-foot iron railing has 

 been erected in the Sandy Cave to protect the beautiful fern 

 growth on one side. Some caves still remain unexplored. 



There are many rock pools for the marine zoologist, some 

 coated with the pretty pink Lithothamnion, and '* nature's 

 drills" may be seen in pot holes, drilled deep in the amygda- 

 loids by harder basalt boulders. Geologists will find all 

 along the path, material quarried ready to hand, and are 

 particularly requested not to damage the natural rock surfaces 

 close to it. 



The fine Cretaceous sections near Port Muck are not far from 

 the third section of the path, which will cross the mouths of 

 six of the " Seven Sisters" caves by a suspension bridge 250 feet 

 long, and will have to be tunnelled inwards along a dangerous 

 part of the cliff ; this may prevent the completion of this portion 

 this season to Heddle's Port. The Herring Gulls nest very 

 thickl}^ on the cliff ledges, w^here the softer basalts have 

 weathered out, above this section, and a few built right down 

 on the path itself, though blasting was going on regularly. 

 Seals have been noticed on theiiocks almost ever}^ day in early 

 August, and Porpoises were rolling about close in on the 

 last day I was there. 



The first section was almost finished last season ; it runs by 

 the sea margin along the picturesque undercliff, where the 

 Chalk and basalt have broken up and slipped over the Lias 

 clay. These unstable areas form undulating green slopes with 

 a dense vegetation in the hollows, alternating with rock 

 masses and water channels quite different from the cliff 

 section. The botanist and entomologist will find much to 

 interest them here. Good outcrops will be found all along 

 this undercliff, especially at Cloughfin Harbour and near 

 Hill's Port, of Chalk with sponge remains, Chloritic Chalk, 



