192 "ALBATROSS" TROPICAL PACIFIC EXPEDITION. 



Egeria Channel, we ran a short distance parallel to the line of breakers 

 which extends towards the north from Maria Bay, on the western side of 

 the reef. 



The Nomuka Group. 



Plates 119, 2U, 216. 



The Nomuka group, the second bank to the north of Tongatabu, is 

 rectangular in outline ; its eastern and western sides being about thirty 

 miles in length, and its southern and northern sides somewhat longer. 

 The western face of Nomuka Bank is comparatively clear, the bank falling 

 rapidly from 30 or 40 fatlioms into more than 200 fathoms, while numerous 

 shoals line its eastern edge. The northern side is covered with islands, 

 islets, and shoals, forming a continuation of tlie islands and shoals of the 

 eastern face. Toward the central part of the bank several low islands 

 have been thrown up, and numerous patches render navigation of the 

 eastern side of Nomuka exceedingly dangerous, so that we did not examine 

 that side of the Nomuka Bank. 



The island of Nomuka is composed of elevated coralliferous limestone. 

 Seen at a distance, it shows distinct traces of a first, a second, and a third 

 terrace. What is left of the third terrace rises as a low conical peak on 

 the summit of the second terrace. Before coming to our anchorage, we 

 passed Nomuka Iki, a low island on which the old ledge crops out at its 

 base, near high-water mark. We also passed by the island of Mu'ifuiva, 

 a patch of old elevated coral reef rising to a height of perhaps nine or 

 ten feet, topped with bushes and a few cocoanut trees (PI. 216). To the 

 rear of us we could see the flat-topped island of Mango Iki, and also the 

 island of Mango, which has a volcanic peak at the eastern extremity, its 

 western end being composed entirely of elevated coralliferous limestone 

 rocks. The highest point of the island of Nomuka is Mata Maka (166 feet 

 in height), and when seen from the eastern side, it looks as if a part of Koto 

 Maka, the next highest peak, might be a portion of the fourth terrace. In 

 addition to Mango, which is volcanic, 1 was informed that Fonoifua, as 

 well as Tanoa, are composed of volcanic rocks. Mr. Moore, who went on 



