ADDU ATOLL. 417 



marked between Hera and Hika, and again for some distance along the reef to the W. of tlie 

 former island. 



All these islets are formed entirely of coral rock with the exception of Hera, which, in its 

 broadest part, 130 yards, has on its inner side an accumulation of sand washed up from tlie 

 lagoon. The small island to the N.E. of Hera is covered with coral stones and may be of quite 

 recent formation. The boulder zone is partially formed of masses of rock, torn off the reef outside 

 or washed ofi' the shores of the islands, but is mainly part of an originally continuous land 

 connection of all these islands to Midu. 



Off Hika the shore to the N. presents a steep beach, falling 6 feet, the lirst 4 feet almost 

 a cliff. This is succeeded by a rough slope, 30 yards broad, passing gradually into a reef-flat 

 of the same breadth. There is again an area of about 20 yards outside the last, with a slight 

 slope to the edge of the reef, which is in this position almost de^■oid of fissures. 



Midu and Huludu. Approaching the N.E. corner of the atoll, the reef-flat becomes 

 noticeably bare and smooth, and even broadens further up to 120 yards. Nullipores become 

 dominant towards the point, and cover the whole surface at the edge, which is deeply fissured. 

 The beach passes directly into the reef-flat, there being no boulder, or rough, zone. It is 

 formed of loose rocks, bedded in sand, and may in any place have a small formation of beach 

 sandstone. 



Round the seaward side of the whole island, except at the extreme S. end, the rock forms 

 a narrow line, its greatest height about 5 feet above the high-water mark. Towards the interior 

 of the atoll the rock merges to the N. and S. of the island into the sandy area, and is to 

 some extent covered by it. In the centre, however, there is a great rush-covered kuli or lake 

 of fresh water, varying up to 2.50 yards in breadth. This is cut off by the rock from the sea 

 and by a great sand-flat 3 — 4 feet high from the lagoon, through which it has retained an 

 overflow channel opening into the lagoon in the centre of the W. side of the island. The sand 

 of the bottom of the kuli and below the tidal limits is everywhere largely foraminiferal and of 

 coarse texture, while that of the surface of the land is fine and mainly formed of ground-up 

 coral. The sandy area of the island, tlierefore, pi'obably owes its origin to the wind having piled 

 up a bank which ettectively cut ofl' the lake from the lagoon. 



A small hoin to. the south of Huludu, stretching northwards into the lagoon, is of interest. 

 It has been partially washed up from the channel to the south of the island, and jiartially formed 

 by the blown-up sand from off the lagoon-flat. It is evidently growing northwards, and appears 

 likely in course of time to cut ofl' another kuli from the sand-flat. 



The islands south of Huludu to the S.E. passage number four, but differ from the 

 chart in the second, Putali being by far the largest. All show a line of rock against a broad 

 reef-flat with sandy areas behind. The seaward beach resembles that off the lighthouse of Minikoi, 

 and further the reef in general appearance is the same. 



The northernmost island has a small sand cliff with a few fallen bushes against the lagoon, 

 and Putali at its most southerly seaward point has also some fallen shrubs, but elsewhere none 

 of the islands showed any distinct change in progress. From the appearance of the channels 

 though, to the N. and S. of Putali, it seems to me to be probable that the islands are coming 

 together to form one continuous whole. To the S. of this island there are signs of two points 

 growing out, one by the sea and another against the lagoon. Should these fuse with tlie next island 

 to the S. a kuli would be formed, quite similar to any one of a series of about twelve rounded 

 pools found in the centre of Putali itself. There is nothing, however, in the structure of the 

 land by these kuli to suggest that any one of them has been formed in this way rather than 



