JONES OX THE VEGETATION OF THE BERMUDAS. 239 



ABEL. * 



Alumina 11. 74. 



Sesqui-Ox. of Iron 7.63. 



MANNING. 



No. 1. Alumina 13.604. 



Sesqui-Ox. of Iron 12.310. 



No. 2. Alumina 7.368. 



Sesqui-Ox. of Iron 9.964. 



No. 3. Alumina 22.790. 



Sesqui-Ox. of Iron 28.318. 



Now the presence of nearly 30 per cent, of oxide of iron in the 

 soil of an island so small and remote from any continent naturally 

 perplexed us, as no clue could be gained as to its probable origin ; 

 nor was it until the recent deep sea explorations of the *' Challen- 

 ger," that light was thrown upon the question. In ** Nature" 

 (vol. 8 p. 30) we find that on approaching the West Indian 

 Islands, more particularly in the deeper soundings, a peculiar ''red 

 clay" gradually assuming a darker tint until it becomes chocolate 

 in colour, was met with ; and that this red clay was found the 

 greater part of the distance from St. Thomas to the Bermudas ; and 

 moreover, it is stated that this red clay of the deep sea proved on 

 analysis by Mr. Buchanan, chemist to the expedition, to be "almost 

 pure clay, silicate of alumina, and the sesqui-oxide of iron with a 

 fimall quantity of manganese." This analysis tends to convince us 

 that the deep chocolate coloured red clay of the islands found in the 

 lower levels, and from high water mark some distance into the sea, 

 originally came from the ocean floor, and that when by volcanic 

 agency the Bermuda column was raised from the depths of the sea, 

 its summit, most probably broken in outline, appeared above the 

 surface covered with this red mud, which in the course of ages has^ 

 but slightly changed its composition, and yet possesses suflScient 

 evidence to prove its identity with that now lying contiguous to the 

 hase of the Bermuda column. Further remarks, however, on this 

 subject are unnecessary in a botanical paper, which is only intended 

 to describe the geological character of the islands as connected with 

 their vegetation. 



