MATUKU ISLAND. 293 



The shells, as large as threepenny pieces and like them in form, 

 but of a chalky white colour, were to be seen in hundreds in the 

 shallow pools. I preserved some of these in absolute alcohol, 

 and observed that a green colouring matter was dissolved out in 

 the spirit. On examining the soft structure of the animals, I 

 found they were full of minute cells with very distinct trans- 

 parent walls, which had all the appearance of unicellular algae. 

 It is possible that the green colouring of the spirit was due to 

 the solution of chorophyly contained in the cells. The cells are 

 evidently identical with those described by Dr. Carpenter, as 

 existing in Orhitolites, and which he regarded as animal in 

 origin, and describes as having a crimson hue in spirit 

 specimens.* It seems just possible that they may be algae, 

 existing as parasites within the Foraminifera. If so, their 

 presence would, as my friend Prof. Eay Lankester has pointed 

 out to me, give further support to the hypothesis that the well- 

 known yellow starch-containing cells of Radiolarians, are like- 

 wise parasitic vegetable organisms, and not essential components 

 of the Radiolarians, in the bodies of which they occur. 



Matuku Island, Fiji, July 24th, 1814. — We hastened along 



with the trade wind, and on July 24th were off the island of 

 Matuku, one of the Fiji group, lying about 70 miles east of 

 Kandavu. The island is volcanic, and surrounded by a barrier 

 reef, which is about 16 miles in circumference. The highest 

 peak is about 1,200 feet in height. I climbed to the top of this 

 peak. From the summit the island was seen to consist of a 

 single crater, the edge of which had been denuded and cut into 

 a series of fantastic peaks, with intervening steep sided gullies. 

 The ancient crater itself now forms the harbour, the inlet to 

 which is through an opening in the girdling reef, at a spot 

 where the border of the crater has been broken down. The 

 surfaces of the irregular hills showed the peculiar sharp angled 

 ridges so characteristic of volcanic cones denuded of pluvial 



action. 



The windward side of the main peak was precipitous, and 

 covered with thick vegetation, whilst the leeward side was 



* W. B. Carpenter, F.K.S., &c, "Introduction to the Study of the 

 Foraminifera," Eay Society, 1862, p. 35, PL IV. fig. 1. 



