FLAMBOROUGH. 127 



projects into Filey Brig. These rocks decay less than the softer 

 or looser materials on either hand ; but they have yielded, and 

 are yielding continually. 



The islands of chalk which stand up in the sea offFlamborough 

 Head, show plainly the waste which has separated them from 

 the land; and by studying the caverns in the neighbouring 

 cliffs we see how that separation was effected, and what other 

 changes are in progress (see the Lithographs). 



At Dane's Dike the tourist should ascend the cliff, to mark 

 the course of the artificial mound along the east side of the 

 rough, deep, natural valley. He may also observe that a little 

 valley was here excavated in the solid chalk before the detrital 

 flint and chalk gravel was deposited on these cliffs, an operation 

 followed by the overspreading of the boulder-clay. 



At Dane's Dike many of the interesting organic remains of 

 the chalk may be collected; particularly beautiful Spongiadae, 

 and the elegant Crinoids called Marsupites* and Apiocrinus. 



After passing the Beacon Hill, beyond Sowerby, 190 feet 

 above high water, we descend to the south landing-place, a mere 

 hollow in the chalk reefs, now useful to the fishermen, and for- 

 merly, we must suppose, employed by the Anglian and Danish 

 pirates. Ida's sons with forty ships are said to have landed at 

 Flamborough ; it would seem more easy to disembark at Brid- 

 lington Bay. 



Continuing our course we find the chalk excavated in many 

 arches and caverns, and the ' Matron of Flamborough,' a fine 

 pyramid standing up amid the waves (see Lithograph). The 

 broken cliffs of Selwicks, under the lighthouse, succeed, and 



* Many of the fossils found in these and other cliffs are figured in my 

 work entitled ' Illustrations of the Yorkshire Coast.' See also the work of 

 Young and Bird. Public collections of them may be seen at York, Leeds, 

 and Hull, Bridlington (Mr. Strickland's collection), Scarborough, and 

 Whitby. Among private cabinets on the coast, we may signalize Mr. 

 Bean's, rich in all branches of marine zoology and palaeontology. Dr. 

 Murray and Mr. Leckenby at Scarborough, and Mr. Ripley at Whitby, are 

 the liberal possessors of many choice things. 



