16 A. E. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 498 
remarkable “Cathedral Rocks” or “Old Church Rocks,” which have 
been carved and worn by the sea into the forms of curious columns 
and arches, resembling some ancient ruined temple. But the 
columns are not so high as they seem to be in the photographs. 
(See fig. 7, and plates Ixxxviii, Ixxxix, and Geology.) 
Owing to abundant moisture in the atmosphere, and frequent 
clouds, the sunsets are often exceedingly brilliant, and the sunset 
colors of the sky, reflected from the bright waves, add greatly to 
the brilliancy of the color effects. 
Figure 8.—The Bermuda Cardinal Bird, from life. 
Another curious phenomenon may often be seen in spring and 
summer, when the white Tropic-birds can be almost constantly seen 
in many parts of the islands, flying over the water and uttering 
their loud cries. Their two long central tail feathers stream grace- 
fully out behind them as they fly. On bright days the white under 
surfaces of their wings and bodies appear to have a clear, pale green 
color, due to the light reflected upward from the white sand of the 
