194 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.  [Jan. 3, 
bounded on the land side by a circular shelving cliff thickly covered 
with vegetation. From the top it presents an appearance not unlike 
that of the upper part of an enormous funnel. It is known by the 
name of “‘ The Frying Pan,” and is deservedly visited by strangers 
as an object of curiosity. During the present year a geological 
incident has occurred which beautifully illustrates its formation. 
Between the Bumble and Ladmakeen Points, the ground gradually 
slopes down from the lighthouses till it abruptly termimates m a cliff, 
which is perhaps 70 or 80 feet high. Here on the night of February 
19th, 1847, without having shown any previous symptom of insecurity, 
a portion of turf, in shape an wregular ellipse, about 120 feet m ar- 
cumference, suddenly subsided to the depth of 30 or 40 feet. The 
appearance presented next morning was that of a pit with precipitous 
sides and an overhanging edge of turf, the bottom bemg level and ~ 
composed of loose stones and earth. It was known that the base of 
the neighbouring cliff was pierced by a cave (the Daws’ Hugo), which 
extended in the direction of the new cavity, and as the outer edge of 
the latter was only 56 feet from the cliff, it was natural to suppose 
that the roof of the cave had fallen in. The discoloration of the 
water for more than a mile round proved that this opmion was cor- 
rect. ‘The appearance presented at the latter end of June was the 
same as that described, except that several deep cracks had been 
formed in the turf on the land side of the hole, showimg that the 
walls, on that side at least, were not sufficiently compact to preserve 
their perpendicular character, but that they would im time shelve 
like the sides of the Frying Pan. After the July spring-tides the 
bottom of the pit presented an altered appearance ; it was no longer 
level, but sloped suddenly down towards the sea, so that a soun 
line would not rest at a depth of 70 feet. On the 15th of July, at 
low-water, I descended the face of the cliff with the intention of ex- 
ploring the Daws’ Hugo, when I found that a communication had 
actually been established between the mouth of the cave and the 
orifice of the pit. The late high tides had washed away so much of 
the loose rubbish, that the floor of the pit had subsided towards the 
sea; the cave had become an archway, leading by a slopmg ascent 
composed of loose stones to the level of the former floor, and through 
the pit light was pouring in on recesses which had never seen the 
sun. Most probably all the stones and earth which have fallen will 
soon be washed away, the pit will become funnel-shaped, its orifice 
enlarging proportionately with its ncreasmg depth ; and as the roof 
of the archway is composed of solid rock, the whole will eventually 
become a counterpart of the Frymg Pan. But if the archway itself 
be destroyed, we shall have a striking example of the formation of 
one of the little coves which are so numerous on the coast. It is 
now proceeding in the direction of the lighthouses, but whether it 
will endanger those structures must depend upon the nature of the 
soil between them and the growing mischief. 
