A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 469 



hidden crevices when young, but cannot now escape. It is certainly 

 a very beautiful natural aquarium. 



5. — Harbors and Sounds. 



In many cases the gradual erosion of the sea-cliffs by the waves 

 and the encroachments of the sea, have connected similar sinks and 

 natural fish ponds with the outside waters by means of narrow or 

 wide channels, thus forming partly enclosed harbors, lagoons, or 

 bays, as they are variously called. Every stage in this process can 

 be seen in progress. There is a little landlocked cave on Coney 

 Island, with a shell-sand beach, but connected with the open water 

 only by a narrow channel, between high limestone ledges, barely 

 Avide enough for a row-boat to j>ass through (figure 23). A similar 

 miniature harbor may be seen near the roadside between Bailey Bay 

 and Shelly Bay. It is said to have become connected with the sea in 

 quite recent times. It is easy to see that this same process, when it 

 opens up a larger valley or sink, will give rise to larger lagoons and 



Figure 23. — Cove at Coney Island, with a narrow entrance. 



harbors. No doubt Hungry Bay, Harrington Sound, St. George's 

 Harbor, and other harbors have been formed partly in this way, 

 though doubtless in combination with the effects of the great sub- 

 sidence of all the land that took place in a late geological period. 

 (See Geology.) 



