222 Canadian Record of Science. 



block cut out of it, which is then sawn into the desired 

 size and shape, and the pieces piled up until they become 

 hardened, which soon occurs when exposed to the action 

 of the sun and the atmosphere. 



The blocks and slabs thus obtained form an excellent 

 building material, which is further protected by a white- 

 wash, made from a very strong lime, obtained from the 

 same rock as the building material itself. The islands 

 have excellent roads, which are for the most part cut 

 through the hills so as to leave no gradients, and the sur- 

 face of which becomes as hard and smooth as ordinary 

 asphalt. 



There are no freshwater streams or wells in the Bermu- 

 das, and the water supply is obtained altogether from the 

 rains. Every one who erects a dwelling is obliged by law 

 to provide a tank or cistern of a certain capacity, propor- 

 tionate to the dwelling, the cistern being frequently built 

 in the excavation from which the material for the house 

 was taken, which only required a covering of cement to 

 make it water-tight. 



As is frequently the case with coral islands, the Bermu- 

 das are steadily sinking, possibly on account of the weight 

 of new material as it is added to them, and this would 

 seem to have been the case throughout their whole exist- 

 ence. 



The coral insect appears to be incapable of existing in 

 more than 30, or at most 50 fathoms of water, but even 

 close to the reefs depths of from 12,000 to 15,000 feet are 

 found. From this it would appear that the base of the 

 Bermudas was a great elevation, possibly of volcanic origin, 

 on which the coral insects found a suitable formation to 

 build the reefs from which the islands were formed, and 

 if the Atlantic were drained it would have the appearance 

 of a huge mountain from 2J to 3 miles in height, rising 

 from an almost level plain. 



As the building progressed, the mountain continued to 



