THE MALDIVE AND LACCADIVE ARCHIPELAGOES. 147 
of Reef-building Corals and Nullipores—Oceanic Shoals and Deep-Sea Corals 
—Intermediate depth Corals—Depth of Lagoons—Currents—The Topography 
of the Banks—The Reef-Platform—Conclusions. 
(To be continued.) 
CHAPTER V. 
THE MALDIVE AND LAccADIVE ARCHIPELAGOES. 
THE Maldive and Laccadive archipelagoes form a long, narrow belt, extending due north 
and south from the level of the Kanara coast of India in lat. 14° N. to Addu Atoll in 
lat. 0° 40'S. (fig. 3). The Laccadives form the north part of the line down to lat. 10° N., 
and consist of a series of isolated islands and banks, mostly of small size, extending between 
longs. 71° 40’ and 74° E. The Maldives commence in lat. 7° 10’ N., and then form a definite 
sequence of large banks between longs. 72° 30° and 73° 40’ E. Intermediate to the two 
groups in lat. 8° 20’ N. les the isolated bank of Minikoi, distant 111 miles from the nearest 
Laccadive shoal and 71 miles from Ihavandifolu, the most northern Maldive reef. It hence 
does not belong much more to one archipelago than the other. 
The contour lines are not accurately known for the two series of shoals, but it is 
probable that their common bank has nowhere a greater depth than 1200 fathoms. In the 
“Nine” and “Eight Degree” Channels on either side of Minikoi soundings of 1195 and 
1179 fathoms are recorded, and in the “ Equatorial Channel” separating Addu and Suvadiva 
1027 fathoms. A bight of deeper water runs up between the bank and the Indian and 
Ceylon coasts, 1345 fathoms being obtained in lat. 10° N. A depth, however, of 1000 to 
1100 fathoms everywhere separates the Laccadives from India, and there is no trace in any 
part of any connection with the mainland by a series of shoal-patches or otherwise 
(Plate VIII.). The least depths, 1047, 1037 and 1094 fathoms, are found between the 
Bassas de Pedro (Munyal) and the coast, distant 117 miles. The breadth between the 100 
fathom lines is only 36 miles, and the channel accordingly is comparatively narrow. A 
possible connection is hence suggested, whereas the narrowness of the channel is really due 
to the fact that the two archipelagoes lie north and south, while the Western Ghats and 
the Indian coast extend north-north-west and south-south-east. The channel is further reduced 
by the increase in the distance of the mud line at about 85 fathoms from south to north 
along the west coast of India, the regular and customary increase in approaching the head 
of any bay. 
The 2000 fathom line (fig. 3) closely approaches the south coast of Ceylon, and thence 
runs up slightly towards Cape Comorin. Between the latter and Minikoi the depth is 
about 1550 fathoms, the 2000 fathom line passing right across to the Maldives, which it 
probably closely follows southwards at a distance of 30 to 40 miles outside the banks. Off 
the south of Addu it may be expected to be a little more remote, and thence it extends 
up nearer to the west side of the Maldives, becoming somewhat more distant from the 
Laccadives and the Indian coast towards the head of the great bay between India and 
