The Rock Formation of the Bermudas. 221 



colating through it, the sandbank gradually changes first 

 into the material shown in the specimen marked ISTo. 1 in 

 the Museum, and in the course of time into the hard crys- 

 talline form marked JSTo. 2, which is simply a later, or more 

 advanced form, of the rock under the same process, but 

 appearing more particularly where the pressure has been 

 greatest. 



The other specimens, ISTos. 3 and 4, are the result of a 

 different action. In many cases, through certain parts of 

 the sand hill being more soluble or less compact than 

 others, cavities are opened, which are enlarged in various 

 ways until caverns are formed, in which the water, perco- 

 lating through the roof, forms stalactites and stalagmites, 

 in the manner connnon to all limestone formations, but in 

 the Bermuda caves witli great rapidity, owing to the 

 soluble nature of the rocks. For the same reason, whole 

 hills have in some cases been swept away by erosion, or 

 more properly, by the softer parts of the rock becoming 

 disintegrated, and in some cases apparently dissolved by 

 the action of the elements, leaving in places sharp pin- 

 nacles, composed of the harder parts of the rock, standing, 

 and in others, the floors of caves covered with stalagmite. 

 The specimen No. 3 was, in fact, taken from such a cave 

 floor on Ireland Island, near the dockyard, and No. 4 from 

 one of these pinnacles, which seem to become cemented 

 together into a quasi-stalactite, and then, when the softer 

 parts disintegrate, it is further hardened by weathering. 



This in brief is the process by which the coral rock is 

 formed, which throughout the islands is everywhere the 

 same. 



This rock is of the greatest value to the people, particu- 

 larly in view of the fact that wood is not available for 

 building purposes, owing to its scarcity. The rock, when 

 in situ, is soft, and easily cut into any shape with ordinary 

 tools. When a quantity of the material is recj^uired for 

 any purpose, the soil is removed from a hillside, a large 

 16 



