MILADUMADULU. 393 



and Goviastraea, and towards the inner part of Miladutnadulu bank falls off to 20 fathoms in 

 about as many 3'ards. 



Ekasdu is fairly accurately represented on the chart and, if it be bisected in a N.N.W. 

 and S.S.E. direction, the seaward half would be found to be formed of coral rock and the 

 lagoon half of sand. The reef N., S. and E. is about 40 yards across, and consists of a bare 

 flat with near its beach an occasional pinnacle of coral rock. To the W. the reef is much 

 broader, varying up to 120 yards, and has ail the characters of the W. reef ofT Furnadu. 

 The land shows little loss or gain, but there are several lines of sandstone on its W. beach ; 

 to the S.W. a point is growing out by the piling up of sand. The central pool or kidi is as 

 charted, and according to the natives has 9 — 12 feet of water in its centre; its water is now 

 quite fresh enough to be pleasant to drink. The presence of mangroves against the pool, and 

 of an enormous number of a peculiar species of prawn, Leander gardinerV, in its waters shows 

 that it must have been at one time connected with the sea. 



Maungudu resembles Rymagu in having all round the land a reef flat, 20 — 50 yards 

 broad, and almost completely exposed at low tide. The outer half of this is in most places 

 bare, but the inner is much strewn with large rocks or else consists of a rough coral rock, the 

 whole averaging perhaps 18 inches above the low tide level. Inside this the beach is mainly 

 formed of coral masses, but sand — of which the central, lower part of the island is entirely 

 composed — enters largely into their composition. 



Kuda Mandu (PI. XX.) needs no special description on account of its resemblance to Ereadu. 

 Indeed, the charts are almost interchangeable, the only differences being in this island having 

 its opening to the S.W. and its basin 3i fathoms deep. The whole shore of its velu except to 

 the S.E. is being washed away. The reef joining the ends of the island is well-formed, and reaches 

 the low tide level. The outer part is very rich in corals, and slopes to only 2 fathoms in about 

 100 yards. Noticeable on its inner part is a line of elevated rock, 36 yards long and exposed 

 for 4 feet at low water. 



Bodu Mandu (PI. XX.) resembles the last, but its opening lies to the S.E. The island is a thin 

 rocky belt to the N. and E. with a reef about 30 yards across. To the \V. it is much broader 

 and all formed of sand; the reef is about 150 yards across in the centre, and has a number 

 of masses of rock, showing that the land once extended right out to its edge. The land to 

 the S. is built up of stones and sand, and is very narrow. The opening is joined by a reef 

 similar to that off the last island, but narrower. Behind it the lagoon shore is protected by 

 mangroves, but near the opening there is some washing away. My visit occurring at low tide, 

 I could not enter the velu, but the natives state that it has a maximum depth of 4 fathoms. 



Kalaidu has a stony belt, 30 — 40 yards across, round its N. and E. sides with a reef flat 

 40 yards broad, running out into a long point of shallow water to the N.E. The rest of the 

 island is of sand, but there is no reef, the shore sloping gradually to 3 fathoms in 60 yards, 

 after which comes the usual steep. There is little change save in the S.W. point, which is 

 perhaps growing out. Behind the belt of rock is a low, swampy area, about 1^ feet below the 

 high tide level, now covered with coconut trees. The latter, however, are growing in a mud, 

 such as — of all the vegetation of the Maldives — only a mangrove swamp forms, so that probably 

 this part was at one time open to the sea. The former shape of the land could not be traced, 

 largely owing to the sand area having been raised 2 or 3 feet by the agency of the wind. 



Bomasdu resembles Kuda Mandu in its shape, outer beach, lines of stone and sand, and 

 washing away on the side of its basin, but the island is not growing at its points and covers 



1 Vide "Land Crustaceans," by L. A. Boriadaile, vol. i. pt. 1, p. 98 of this same Publication. 



