3 2 



W. J. SOLLAS 



[JANUARY 



below (Fig. 11): the ocean, of a deep majolica blue, rolls inwards in 

 majestic waves, which suddenly grow gigantic as they approach the shore, 

 towering in a wall of water above the reef ; and then spring with a 

 furious roar into a confusion of white foam, which seethes about the 

 madder-tinted margin of Melobesia, rushes through the chasms of the 

 tidal platform, and often spouts up through the blow-holes with sudden 

 and explosive violence, like a kind of marine geysers. It is only on 

 calm days that the extreme margin of the reef can be approached with 

 safety. Such is the violence of the breakers that the tidal platform 

 presents the appearance of an almost lifeless desert ; a few green and 

 brown seaweeds, little fish darting in the pools, occasional sea-snails 

 with dense shells, and a few hermit-crabs heavily armoured, are all that 



Fig. 11. — Tidal platform and margin of reef. 



is seen at first glance. All the inhabitants of the tidal platform seem 

 to stand in dread of the sea ; even the active shore crabs (Grammes) are 

 afraid of it, and only venture in when inspired by their greater terror 

 of the human form ; even then they cling tenaciously with their many 

 legs close to the sides of the rocky shore, and sidle off to land directly 

 they fancy the enemy's back is turned. 



The observer who trusted to first impressions, and judged the plat- 

 form by its outer aspect, would fall into grievous error ; it is by no 

 means so dead as it seems. On breaking off a fragment with a 

 hammer a new world of life is revealed ; the rock is tunnelled through 

 and through, as closely as it can be mined, by a variety of animals, 

 which have taken to an underground life as a protection against the 

 sea : worms, shell-fish, crabs, sea-squirts, and barnacles are to be 

 found in these subterranean dwellings ; they constitute a specialised 



