26 



GEOLOGY OF THE EAST LOTHIAN COAST. 



proportion to their distance from it. We find, however, that the 

 case is precisely the reverse : as the beds approach the base of 

 the cliff, they dip towards it from every side at perpetually in- 

 creasing angles, until at the point of junction the inclination 

 amounts in places to as much as 55 degrees. The exact amount 

 of dip in the various positions will be seen on referring to the 

 accompanying map. 



FIG. I. 



FIG. i. MAP OF STRATA. AT WHITBERRY POINT. Scale, 6 in. to the mile. 



A. Lava sheet. B. Sandstone Beds, dipping from every side towards the lava. 

 CC. Line of Section along which Fig. 2 is supposed to be drawn. 



We conceive that the phenomenon is to be explained by 

 supposing the orifice through which the lava rose and overflowed 

 the surface of the sedimentary strata to have been very much 

 smaller in area than the extent of igneous rock at present visible ; 

 and that the pressure of the erupted mass on the soft beds be- 

 neath, aided perhaps by the abstraction of matter from below, 

 caused them to incline towards the central point at a gradually 

 increasing angle. The diagram, fig. 2, will serve further to 

 illustrate this hypothesis. A is the neck or orifice by which the 

 melted matter is supposed to ascend. C shews the sheet of lava 

 after it has overspread the surface of the sandstone beds B, so as 

 to cause .them to assume their present inclination. The dotted 



