A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 465 



2. — Forms and Extent of the Islands and Reefs. 



The existing islands of Bermuda must be regarded as the remnants 

 of the higher parts of a submerged and very much eroded, older 

 limestone island, of much larger size, which has been well called the 

 " Greater Bermuda." It might, perhaps, be as well called the Plio- 

 cene Bermuda, from a geological point of view. 



The outline of the Greater Bermuda is preserved by the outlying 

 limestone reefs that surround the present islands on all sides. These 

 reefs have an elliptical outline, about 22-| miles long and 11 wide, in 

 the widest parts, and cover about 250 square miles. 



They consist of reolian or sand-dune limestone, like that of the dry 

 land itself. They are, in most parts, covered with coatings of living 

 corals, corallines, and algae, that retard the erosion by the sea. In most 

 places they rise nearly to the surface of the sea, and at extreme low 

 tides large, flat areas of reefs rocks, called " flats," are laid bare. 



Therefore they are extremely dangerous to navigators, even now, 

 though the two excellent lighthouses and the excellent modern charts 

 have greatly reduced the danger. 



The outer reefs, on the north side, enclose large areas of irregular 

 scattered reefs of the same kind, and also several large sunken lagoons 

 and anchorages of deeper open waters, with bottoms covered with 

 tenacious, white, calcareous mud and shell-sand, thus affording good 

 anchorages, large enough to accommodate the largest fleets of 

 vessels. These are often 50 to 70 feet deep, and sometimes deeper 

 than that in places. The entrances are narrow and few. Murray 

 Anchorage and Great Sound are good examples of these. (See map.) 



The dry land of the islands consists of over 150 islands and islets, 

 many of them very small; together they form a narrow, hook-shaped 

 group, about 14 miles long, in a straight line, and mostly from one- 

 half to two miles wide. The total area is about 12,400 acres, or 19^ 

 square miles, of which about 3,000 acres is said to be arable.* 



*Some of the other islands, of less importance, with their approximate areas, 

 according to Norwood's 16G3 survey (fractions usually omitted), are as follows: 



Cooper's Island, 77 acres. 

 Paget or Peniston I., 31 acres. 

 Long Bird Island, 46 acres. 

 Smith's Island, 61 acres. 

 Nonesuch " 15 " 

 Coney " 14 " 3 roods. 



Castle " 3 " 2 roods. 



Southampton Island, 1 acre 2 roods. 

 Charles Island, 3 acres 3 roods. 



Norwood stated that most of these sizes are only estimates. But they agree 

 closely with the official estimate made in 1875. 



Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. XI. 30 April, 1902. 



Boas Island, 4 acres. 



Yates Island, 31 " 



Elizabeth " 21 " 



Tucker's " 21 and 7 acres. (Now 



Daniel Island and Benets Island.) 

 Brother's Islands, 20 and 17 acres. (Now 



Tucker's Island and Morgan Island.) 

 Trunk Island, 3 acres. 



