Notes on a Visit to Fernando Noronha. 427 



and Fernando Noronha lie Booby Island, St Michael's Mount, 

 and Egg Island. These form a kind of chain running nortli- 

 east, while to the north-west are Platform Island, or San 

 Jose, and two rocks. The other islands are all very small, 

 and are known as Moro da Villa, a peninsula at low water, 

 and The Twins, both lying off the north-west coast; to the 

 south are Les Clochers, which bear a curious resemblance 

 to a praying monk from some points of view, and several 

 other rocks. The coast-line of the main island is consider- 

 ably indented, the principal inlets being, on the north-west 

 coast. Water Bay, above which the principal village is situ- 

 ated, and Portuguese Bay. On the south coast is Leao Bay, 

 circular and almost landlocked. 



The geology of the group, so far as we could make it out, 

 is as follows : — The central part of the main island, contain- 

 ing several steep conical hills, consists of phonolite, while 

 both ends are of basalt. The western part seems to have a 

 regular trap formation. There is a long gradual slope up 

 from the plain, just to the west of the central hills, ending 

 in a crest, from which there is a steep slope down on the 

 other side. From its base another slope rises, not so long 

 as the other, and ends in another crest with a steep descent 

 beyond ; and, still further on, there is a third repetition of the 

 same feature. The slope down from the last ends in a narrow 

 neck of land, connecting a terminal peninsula with the main- 

 land. In this neck is the natural opening known as the 

 Hole in the Wall. The configuration of the east end of the 

 island is much more irregular than the part already described. 

 A range of hills of black basalt rises abruptly from the coast, 

 and comprises four or five distinct peaks. To the north of 

 these, and separated from them by a valley, is a low, rounded 

 ridge, forming the backbone of the north-eastern point ; and 

 a third eminence, also rounded in form, occupies the north- 

 western portion of this region. The central hills comprise 

 The Peaks, rising close to the north shore, and two small 

 conical hills ; otherwise this part of the island is level. On 

 the south shore are two elevations. Tangle Hill and Look Out 

 Hill. The former exhibits two pinnacles, and reaches the 

 greatest height of any of the mountains, with the exception 



