12 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [oct. 13, 
sounding. The captain of our boat, a reliable man, told me 
that in the ‘* Pine Yard ” was a hole similar to this one, in which 
he had found no bottom with a line over thirty fathoms in 
length. Before attempting to explain the formation of these 
ocean-holes it will be well to describe what the natives call 
Boiling- Holes. 
The first of these I was shown on Andros in a small creek 
that runs into Conch Sound. The top of the hole was about 
a foot under water at low tide, and close to the mangroves that 
formed the side of the creek. It was about seven feet in length 
and about two or three wide. Below the diameter increased, 
forming an overhanging ledge. When the tide was low in the 
creek, but rising outside, the clear sea-water could be distinctly 
seen ascending, thus producing the same appearance as that 
presented by a mixture of sulphuric acid and water. Suspended 
particles could also be seen rising. 
While sailing past Rat Cay, near Mastic Point, another << boil- 
ing-hole” was seen that was apparently about ten feet in diame- 
ter, and from a distance we could see a perceptible ‘‘boil” on 
the surface that was undoubtedly caused by the rising water. 
Our captain said that when the tide was falling the water in the 
hole went ‘‘ down and round ”—which statement I believe, as the 
water was rising with some force, and probably ran out again 
with sufficient rapidity to cause a small whirlpool. In another 
boiling-hole near Mangrove Cay the water was seen ascending. 
These facts prove not only that an underground connection 
exists between these holes and the ocean, but that the connec- 
tion is an open one, so that the water can flow freely through 
it, and thus the pressure resulting from the passing tidal wave 
is shown before the tide commences to rise on the shore. The 
ocean-holes, I believe, can be explained by supposing them to 
be old boiling-holes in which the connection has been stopped 
up, and their greater size caused by the falling-in of the ledge 
on the edge, which would aid in the stoppage. I regret that I 
have no facts to offer on the depth of the boiling-holes, for the 
only one I stopped to examine was at Conch Sound, and this one 
ran under the ledge, so that its depth could not be determined. 
The ocean-hole at Nicols Town, described above, is also, I believe, 
an old ocean-hole now elevated. 
Banana- Holes. 
These are holes found mainly on the elevated parts of the land 
on both New Providence and Andros. They contain a quantity 
