66 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



the same process which will in time separate the extremity of the prom- 

 ontory as a distinct islet, now connected with the inner part of it only 

 by a comparatively thin arch. From its exposed position we naturally 

 find many fragments of rock thrown up on the shore. A few at the 

 base of the cliff leading to the lighthouse are quite large. The largest 

 rock train is thrown up on the beach near the spit to the west of Abaco 

 Lighthouse. The cliffs to the westward, to the eastward of Southwest 

 Spit, are the remnants of a range of seolian hills existing at one time to 

 the south of those which form the extension of Lighthouse Hill. These 

 western hills must have reached very close to the edge of the bank before 

 the general subsidence of the Bahamas had produced any marked change 

 in the topography of the land. The valley which separated them from 

 the northern range of hills is still well marked. 



After turning the Southwest Spit we ran parallel to a long coral sand 

 beach, the shore line of which was flanked at intervals by stretches of 

 angular rocks thrown up by southeastern hurricanes or gales above 

 high-water mark and extending inland. On landing we found rocks, 

 sponges, Gorgonians, and large masses of corals, thrown up to a con- 

 siderable distance on the lowland, forming an extensive plateau ex- 

 tending inland behind the beach. Soon after passing Southwest Spit 

 we began to see fine stretches of pines, which are so characteristic a 

 growth on the larger islands of the Little Bahamas. 



The edge of the narrow bank flanking western Abaco is covered with 

 fine coral heads, growing abundantly in from three to ten fathoms close 

 towards the shore, and separated by wide lanes or patches of sand. On 

 the western face of the Little Bahama Bank this edging of corals is 

 nearly continuous, extending all the way from Southwest Spit on Abaco 

 to Memory Rock, where we entered on the bank to cross it en route for 

 Green Turtle Cay. 



Great Abaco from Southwest Spit westwai'd is low, and covei'ed with 

 a fine forest of pines, which extends into the interior. The Lighthouse 

 Hill range gradually falls to the westward, but extends to the northeast 

 of the lighthouse, and forms the eastern face of the island, which is 

 edged by vertical cliff's from forty to one hundred and fifty feet in 

 height, forming a nearly continuous wall, upon which pounds the heavy 

 trade swell. These vertical cliffs extend north as far as Guineamau's 

 Bay, where the outer row of rocks, islets, and cays begins, extending in 

 a nearly unbroken breakwater off the main island from Cheroki Sound 

 as far as Matanilla Reef. On the west side the lowland extends as far 

 as Rocky Point, and then disappears to form the extensive shallow bank 



