A, E. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands; Geology. 173 
they exist at Eaton, near Norwich. (Figure 57.) They vary in 
size there from a few inches to 12 feet in diameter, and in depth 
from a few feet to 60 feet. Most of those figured are pointed at the 
lower end. Lyell states that they are circular and very symmetrical 
in form. He believed that they are due to the solvent action of 
percolating rain water, but he does not explain why such solvent 
action should be concentrated, for long periods, upon such definite 
and circular spots, often close together, nor why the holes should 
preserve a circular form throughout their depth, without spreading 
laterally. 
yy 
Figure 57.—Section at Eaton, Eng. After Lyell. C, C, white chalk; F, F, 
layers of flint nodules; S, sand and surface soil; a-f, ‘‘sand pipes” of 
various sizes. 
The same difficulties are obvious in the Bermuda examples, for 
they often penetrate through layers differing in texture and hard- 
ness, without changing in size or form. If due wholly to the ordi- 
nary solvent action of rain-water, we should expect to find that such 
waters had spread laterally in the more porous layers and so pro- 
duced irregularities. 
It appears absolutely necessary to assume that there was at least 
some definite and specific cause to determine the position and circu- 
lar form of the primary pit, if we admit that the solvent action was 
the active cause of the prolongation downward, for puddles of rain- 
water, on ordinary natural surfaces of soil, assume very irregular 
forms, and are rarely symmetrical and circular, like these holes. If 
we could explain the initial circular form of the pits, we might sup- 
pose that the solvent action had made them deeper and larger, 
especially if the pits had become filled with clay-soil and decaying 
vegetable matter. 
Trans. Conn. Acap., Vou. XII. 12 Frpruary, 1906. 
