164 



FORMATION OF CORAL REEFS. 



by a waving wreath of white or green or rose- 

 colored tentacles. 



As soon as the little Coral is fairly established 

 and solidly attached to the ground, it begins to 

 bud. This may take pjace in a variety of ways, 

 dividing at the top or budding from the base or 

 from the sides, till the primitive animal is sur- 

 rounded by a number of individuals like itself, 

 of which it forms the nucleus, and which now 

 begin to bud in their turn, each one surrounding 

 itself with a numerous progeny, all remaining, 

 however, attached to the parent. Such a com- 

 munity increases till its individuals are numbered 

 by millions ; and I have myself counted no less 

 than fourteen millions of individuals in a Coral 

 mass of Porites measuring not more than twelve 

 feet in diameter. The so-called Coral heads, 



which make the foundation of a Coral wall, and 

 seem by their massive character and regular form 



