6 THE NATURALIST IN BERMUDA. 
have specimens of Turbo pica now in our possession, 
which we obtained on the hilly ground of Smith’s parish, 
adjacent to Hungry Bay; and it puzzled us not a little as 
to how these large shells could get into that position, being 
some thirty feet above the level of the sea; but Col. Nelson 
throws considerable light on the matter, by stating that the 
soldier-crab is the means of bringing them into these high 
positions.* 
Extensive engineering operations, road-making, deepen- 
ing channels, &c, have afforded an opportunity never 
hitherto possessed by writers on coral-belts, throwing much 
light upon the subterranean formation of the islands; and 
caverns of various dimensions have been discovered at 
different times during the progress of the works. 
The Colonel states that, whilst cutting the escarp of the 
North Bastion at Ireland Island, a cavern was opened 
which contained great numbers of a large and delicate 
Helix, and a heap of the dry red earth of the islands, since 
determined by him to be mainly of animal origin. In this 
earthy matter were quantities of birds’ bones ; and on ano- 
ther occasion, whilst excavating a ditch, a small hole was 
discovered in a rather hard rock, composed of comminuted 
fragments, with the interstices not filled up. This hole was 
about twenty feet above the sea, thirty yards from it, and 
fifteen feet from the top of the hill, and without any appa- 
rent connection with the surface. In this hole were found 
an egg shell, and many fragments of bones, similar to the 
preceding; but they were all, as well as the egg, coated with — 
* This animal has been seen actually climbing up a door-post, laying hold 
of the arris-edge by its claws. 
