136 BULLETIN : MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 



The evidence of elevation is not limited to that furnished by the re- 

 mains of the elevated coralliferous limestone just mentioned, and it is 

 natural to assume that the elevation we have just traced was but a 

 part of a more general elevation, which perhaps took place in late tertiary 

 times, and in which the whole group was involved. It is plain that there 

 must have been most extensive denudation and submai'ine erosion 0:0 ins on 

 throughout the group for a very considerable time, geologically speaking. 

 The outlines of the islands, deeply furrowed by gorges and valleys, the 

 sharp or serrated ridges separating the valleys, the fantastic outlines of 

 the peaks and chains of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, and Ovalau, all attest to 

 the great work of atmospheric agency which must have been going on 

 for so long a period. 



The extent of the separation of the islands, islets, or isolated rocks 

 from the points or spurs of the larger islands also bears witness to the 

 great length of time during which submarine erosion and denudation 

 have been at work. 



The platforms of submarine erosion constitute the characteristic fea- 

 tures of the islands of Fiji. A glance at the sketch map of Fiji (Plate 1) 

 and at the detailed charts of diflerent portions of the group cannot fail 

 to show how extensive this action has been. I need only call special 

 attention to the northwestern extremity of Viti Levu, the eastern face of 

 the same island (Plates 3, 7), the southern coast of Viti Levu (Plate 5), 

 the southwestern and northeastern shores of Vanua Levu (Plates 3, 4, 

 18), the extensive platform of Kandavu (Plate 11), that of the northern 

 extremity of Taviuni, Budd Reef (Plates 4, 18), Thikombia (Plate 11), 

 the platforms of submarine erosion of Mbengha (Plate 8), of Nairai, 

 Ngau (Plates 12, 13, 14), of Makongai and Wakaya (Plate 15), of 

 Moala and Totoya (Plates 16, 23), of the Exploring Isles (Plate 19), and 

 of the smaller islands like Kimbombo and Kanathea (Plate 19), Lakemba 

 and Oneata (Plate 21), Mothe, Komo, Yangasa, and Ongea (Plate 22), 

 and a host of other smaller platforms. Finally, platforms of submarine 

 erosion which have reached the stage of atolls of greater size, like the 

 Argo Reefs (Plate 21), Reid (Plate 20) and Xanuku Reefs (Plate 18), 

 Ngele Levu (Plate 17), or those of smaller dimensions, like Adolphus 

 Reef (Plate 18), Thakau Mata Thuthu, Thakau Vutho Vutho (Plate 

 17), Duff (Plate 18), Dibble's Reef (Plate 19), Motua Levu, Motua lai 

 lai (Plate 18), Thakau Tambu (Plate 20), Thakau Lekaleka (Plate 21), 

 Thakau Motu (Plate 22), Thakau Levu (Plate 22), and others. 



Add to this the fact that we are in a region of a former powerful and 

 extensive volcanic activity, the traces of which can still be seen in all 



