AGASSIZ: BAHAMAS. 159 



395, 39G) and the adjacent islands there are many points where coral 

 reefs take a great development. With the exception of the central part 

 of the north coast of Tobago, which rises from a bank of about forty 

 fathoms, the island is fringed with disconnected fringing and barrier 

 reefs, growing most luxuriantly off the northeast end of the island and 

 near the southwest exti:emity (see Hydrographic Chart No. 354, Admi- 

 ralty Chart No. 505). The Testigos are surrounded by coral reefs 

 on the eastern face of the bank from which they rise; they are within 

 the broad belt of the 100 fathom line, and carry from twenty-three to 

 thirty-eight fathoms near them. Detached patclies of coral reefs extend 

 along the coast from the Gulf of Paria to the Gulf of Cariaco. Mar- 

 garita Island is flanked by fringing and barrier reefs on the eastern and 

 western coasts, as well as along its whole southern shore. The islands 

 of Cubagua and Coche, whicli lie between it and the mainland, are like- 

 wise skirted on the eastern faces with reefs. Orchila is low and flat, 

 surrounded by reefs on the eastern face. Los Eoques are a group of 

 cays rising from a bank of twenty-three miles in length ; the greater part 

 of it is covered by coral heads, and its sea face is edged by coral reefs. 

 The Islas de Aves are banks similar to Los Eoques. Buen Ayre Island 

 is fringed by a reef on the eastern and northwestern extremities of the 

 island. Little Curagoa is a coral islet with steep sides. The south side 

 of Cura^oa is bordered by a bank of coral reefs. 



From Cape Codera to Cape St. Roman tlie coast is fringed with long 

 stretches of coral reefs, from Codei-a to Caracas, and on both sides of 

 Punta Tucacas, east of Zamuro Point. The whole eastern face of the 

 peninsula of Paraguana is fringed by corals. West of the Gulf of Vene- 

 zuela, with the exception of the fringing reefs along the eastern and 

 northern coasts of the Guajira peninsula, the reefs along the north shoi'e 

 of South America as far as the Mulatas archipelago are limited in ex- 

 tent, occurring on comparatively short stretches of shore interrupted by 

 long reaches of sand beaches (Hydrographic Chart No. 9G4). The Mu- 

 latas archipelago, a number of islets and islands from two to ten miles 

 off shore, extends from Pajaros Island to off Point San Bias, a distance 

 of eighty miles : they are fringed by reefs rising from seven to ten fath- 

 oms of water (Hydrographic Chart No. 945). The north shore of the 

 coast of Panama and of Costa Rica is, with that exception, free of exte- 

 rior reefs. The north side of the interior of Chiriqui Lagoon is thickly 

 studded with detached shoals of corals and coral patches. 



