growing part of the reef, which slopes steeply downward 

 on the ocean side. The edge is separated from the land 

 by very shallow water and at low tides the entire plat- 

 form is almost exposed. Unless large scale movements 

 of the land take place the reef is limited in its sea ward 

 extension beyond a point where its base has reached a 

 depth of about 100 feet. This is due to the fact that 

 vigorous coral growth cannot take place in depths 

 greater than this. A certain amount of seaward ex- 

 tension may take place, however, as the result of broken 

 coral rolling down to the foot and building up a base 

 of dead rock upon which new growth may occur. 



Figure 2. Section of a fringing reef illustrating the manner of development. 

 Not to scale. 1, 2, 3, successive stages of growth. 



Fringing reefs are found on the shores of the east 

 coast of Africa, Madagascar, Java, the Solomon Islands 

 and the Carolines. Poorly developed reefs of this type 

 also occur in Hawaii. The reefs of Florida and the West 

 Indies have been described as fringing reefs but they 



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