PHOTOTYPE PLATES NOS. XII. AND XIH. 23 



PLATE XII. 



STUGS'-HORN REEF, OUTER BARRIER SERIES, NO. 1. 



The preceding illustration, while characteristic of the Great Barrier Reef, pertains more 

 essentially to its northern equatorial region. Plate XII. may be said to represent the first of the 

 series that belongs specifically to the Barrier proper, as understood and resorted to from Cooktown, 

 Townsville, and other of the North Queensland townships, for the prosecution of the Beche-de-mer 

 industry. The scene of this photographic illustration is close to Lark Passage, one of the 

 principal shipping channels used by vessels plying between Cooktown and New Guinea. 



As a reef-view it is unique. Almost the entire area is occupied by a luxuriant growth of 

 the shrubb}' Stags'-horn coral, Madrcpora Iicbes, the general aspect presented being not unlike 

 that of a gorse-covered or heather-covered common. The life colours of the shrub-like coralla 

 of this Madrepora plantation were not notable, as in some other instances, for conspicuous 

 brilliancy, being chiefly of a warm brown hue with greenish-white terminations. Here and there, 

 however, intervened colony-stocks of the same species in which brilliant greon or lilac tints 

 predominated. A bouquet-like growth of Madrepora aiistralis occupies the centre of this reef- 

 area, and a few coralla of Pocillopora dainiconiis, and more massive Astreacese, are sparsely 

 scattered among the Stags'-horn thicket. 



PLATE XIII. 



(fi.)-LOW WOODY REEF, OUTER BARRIER SERIES, NO. 2. 



The scene of this illustration is the outer limits of the reef around Low Woody Island, a 

 small coral-islet a little to the south of Lark Passage. On account of its convenience of access 

 from Cooktown, and also to the most prolific Barrier fishing grounds, it is commonly utilised as a 

 Beche-de-mer headquarters fishing-station. The reefs around this islet, as exposed to view on the 

 occasion of an abnormally low spring tide, have yielded some of the most varied and picturesque 

 photographic reef-scenes that have been obtained. The wealth and variety of coral-species 

 flourishing upon them is amply demonstrated in this and the five subsequent illustrations, 

 which are all derived from the same locality. 



The most conspicuous coral-growths in this first example of the Low Woody Island series are 

 the widely-expanding, vasiform, coralla of Madrepora snrcnlosa, two fine examples of which occupy 

 the central ground on the right-hand side, while smaller coralla of the same species may be 

 observed growing on many other more distant areas of the reef. The life colours of this species are 

 remarkable for their delicacy. The basal portions of the short, thickly-crowded, central branchlets 

 are usually of a light, pinkish-brown hue, with their terminations a more decided pink, while those 



