AGASSIZ: BAHAMAS. 133 



THE CORAL REEFS OF CUBA. 



Plates I. and XIII.; Plate XIV. Fig. 3; Plates XLIV. to XL VII, 



Outside of the elevated coral reef which may be said to flank nearly 

 the whole coast of Cuba is found the growing reef, extending to ten or 

 twelve fathoms or more wherever there is an insular platform of any 

 width between the elevated reef and the 100 fathom line. This living 

 reef is most irregular, occurring often merely as patches, or as spits 

 forming small boat harbors, or as either short barrier or fringing reefs. 

 But in many localities the general line of the reef is interrupted, either 

 from the shifting bottom of coral sand on the vsea face of the elevated reef, 

 or from the great steepness of the shore slope, as along the south coast 

 of Cuba from Cape Cruz to Cape Maysi, and nearly as far north as Nue- 

 vitas. Here, and along the face of the cays protecting the main shore 

 of the island as fiir as Cardenas, the continental platform is much wider, 

 and forms a coast shelf of considerable width, upon which corals flourish, 

 principally in from three to seven fathoms of water, though they extend 

 into depths of ten or twelve fathoms, or even more. From Cardenas to 

 the eastern extremity of the Colorado Reef corals do not flourish, except 

 on the Jaruco Bank, probably from the same causes which influence their 

 distribution on the south coast. Inside the Colorado Reef as far as San 

 Antonio exist a series of cays similar to those on the submarine bank to 

 the eastward of Cardenas, but on a smaller scale. On the south shore, 

 from the Isle of Pines to Cape Cruz, we have an extensive archipelago 

 of similar structure upon a wide platform the edge of which is fringed 

 with corals. On this plateau are, to the east of Trinidad, the Great 

 Bank of Buena Esperanza, the Manzanillo and the Laberinto de Doce 

 Leguas Banks, and innumerable cays dotted over its surface. ,The reefs 

 between Cape Cruz, the Isle of Pines, and Cape Corrientes I have not 

 examined, and know them only from the description of the Coast Pilot. 

 The Colorado Reef I have only seen at two points. 



On the south coast, between Cape Maysi and Cape Cruz, the promi- 

 nent stretches of reefs are those to the eastward of Jucaro Anchorage, 

 on each side of Damas Cay, and the belt extending eastward fronr 

 Brava Point, whei-e the reefs extend to the foot of the Ojo del Toro and 

 form a sheltered reef harbor. A small patch of corals also sti;etches 

 to the westward of Cape Cruz. In addition to the many cays which 

 stud the banks between Cape Cruz and the Isle of Pines, many parts 



