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DURDLE COVE.

War Cove, from a long rock at the entrance named the Man ofWar; and, adjoining to this, is a similar one called Durdle cove,or Barn door cove (PI. XLV).

Into all these beautiful small bays it is easy to descend fromthe land ; although the cliffs in general are of great height, beingformed by the sea wearing away the chalk hill. It is observable,that the opposite sides of all of them present exactly similarsections of the strata, which become thinner, and are more nearlyvertical, towards the west.

This regular thinning of many of the strata in their originalformation, along the south coast of England, is an importantgeological phenomenon; and should be carefully distinguishedfrom instances of strata being thinner in one place than in anotherfrom the action of denudating causes.

On the hills near Lulworth, I saw some blocks of siliceouspudding stone of the same kind as is usually found over thechalk in Hertfordshire .

It being impracticable to advance farther on the shore to thewest, because at that side of Durdle cove the sea comes quiteup to the chalk cliff, I procured a boat at Lulworth, in order totrace the stratification westwards.

The view which the cliffs present, on the west of Lulworthcove, is nearly similar to what I have already mentioned to theeast. At Durdle cove, there is a very remarkable natural arch,(PI. XXXVI. No. 1, and PI. XLV.) in the oolite stratum, whichis here nearly vertical. This arch is known to ail the visitorsfrom Weymouth by the name of Durdle or Barn door. It islarge enough to admit the passage of a boat wilh her sails up;and in very fine weather, it is common to go through it.