i6o CORALS AMD CORAL LS LANDS. " 



small shrubs. A high sloping beach continuous around. Has 

 a shore platform about 300 feet wide. 



Birnies. — Lat. 3° 35' S. ; Long. 171° 30' W. Four-fifths 

 of a mile by one-third, trending north-west. No lagoon. A 

 sandy flat about ten feet high, except near the north-north-east 

 extremity, where it is about twelve feet. To the south-south- 

 west the submerged reef extends out nearly a mile, over which 

 the sea breaks. In passing it, distinguished no vegetation 

 except the low purslane and some trailing plants. 



Siuain's.—i^xg. 4, page 135.) Lat. 11° 10' S. ; Long. 170'' 

 52' W. I J miles by |; shape nearly rectangular ; trends east 

 and west. No lagoon, but the centre a little lower than the 

 sides. Surface covered with shrubbery and large trees, among 

 the latter many cocoa-nuts ; the centre more sparsely wooded. 

 Height fifteen to eighteen feet, excepting on the middle of the 

 western side, where the surface is covered with loose fragments 

 of coral of small size ; there appears to have been a former 

 entrance to the lagoon at this place. Shore reef, or platform, 

 one hundred yards in average width, and one hundred and fifty 

 yards at the place where we landed. Beach high, ten to twelve 

 feet. At lower part of beach, for a height of two to three feet, 

 the coral reef-rock was exposed, indicating an elevation of the 

 island. For three or four feet above this, layers of the beach 

 sand-rock were often in view, consisting of coral pebbles firmly 

 cemented, and having the usual dip of seven or eight degrees 

 seaward ; in many places it was concealed by the beach sands 

 and pebbles. There was no growing coral on the platform, 

 excepting Nullipores. The outer margin of this platform was 

 very uneven, and much intersected by channels, though less so 

 than at Enderbury's Island. Great numbers of Birgi (large 

 Crustacea) were burrowing over the island, some of which 

 were six inches in breadth. 



Otiihu^ Paumotu Archipelago. — 14° 5'" S. ; 141° 30' W. 

 i-| miles by f, trending north and south. No lagoon. 

 Wooded. 



Margaret^ Paumotu Archipelago. — 20° 42' S. ; 143° 4^ W. 

 Diameter one mile, nearly circular. A small shallow lagoon 



