Bay

[Fr. baie; A. S. bige, a turning, bending.] ( Phys. Geog.) A bending or curving of the shore; an arm, or broad inlet of the sea; a small gulf; as the splendid Bay of Naples, partly seen in Fig. 152. The accompanying illustration represents the small but charming bay called Durdle, or Barn-door Cove, Isle of Purbeck, on the S. English coast. It is remarkable for a natural perforation Fig . 320.-DURDLE BAY, (Isle of Purbeck.) 1. Vertical Portland oölite. 2. Vertical strata of chalk and flint. or archway, formed by the waves in a projecting crag of the nearly vertical Portland oölite , which bounds the E. cape of the bay. This arch is large enough to admit the pa age of a boat with the sails up. The W. side of the bay is composed of vertical strata of chalk and flint, and is called Bat's Corner. "Here in a royal bed the waters sleep; When tir'd at sea, within this bay they creep."-Dryden. ( Law . ) A pond-head, or a pond formed by a dam for the purpose of driving mill-wheels. (Arch.) The open space in a window included between the mullions, otherwise called a day or light . - Also the quadrangular space between the principal ribs of a groined roof, acro which the diagonal ribs are extended; or the spaces between the principal divisions of a timber roof. The term is also applied to that part of a building situated between two buttre es. The bay of a barn , is that part situate between the threshing-floor and the end of the building, used for depositing the refuse hay or the corn previous to threshing. ( Naut .) Sick bay , is that portion of the upper deck of a ve el of war set apart for the reception of sick persons; it is usually situated in the bows of the ship.