WORB ARROW BAY. 375 



form the outer capes and reefs — the vertical cre- 

 taceous strata (a,b,c,d,) the inland cliffs; and the 

 wealden (e), the intervening portion. The latter 

 in many of the sections, have the same contorted 

 appearance as in the cliffs on the south of 

 Durlstone Bay. The solid layers of sandstone 

 and limestone, though broken, preserve regular 

 planes of stratification, having from their com- 

 pactness resisted the violence of the movements 

 to which they have been subjected ; but the 

 superincumbent plastic argillaceous beds, have 

 been bent into irregular curves, by lateral pres- 

 sure. Hence too the peculiar form of the coves ; 

 for the firm barrier of Portland stone, being only 

 partially broken through, scarcely more than one- 

 third of the circumference of these bays is open 

 to the sea. 



Worbarrow Bay. — On the south side of Wor- 

 barrow Bay, the junction of the Hastings sands of 

 the Wealden, with the Purbeck strata, is visible, 

 and Dr. Fitton has described the following section, 

 which was observable at the time of his visit ; 

 from the crumbling nature of the cliffs, a clear 

 view of the beds is not always attainable. 



Grey and yellow sand, occupying on the shore, 1 3 paces. 



A space concealed at the top ; where visible the beds con- 

 sist of clay, with lignite ; concretions of quartzose grit 

 with cyclades. A< the bottom, paces. 



