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they are more complete than any other structures of a similar 
period, inasmuch as, by drawing lines from the centre of the square 
through the centre of the openings between the segments of the 
inner circle, the points on the horizon are struck where the sun 
rises and sets at the Winter Solstice, or on the shortest day of the 
year. In a similar manner, if lines are drawn from the centre 
of the square through the north angles of the square, the points 
on the horizon are struck where the sun rises and sets at the Mid- 
summer Solstice, or the longest day of the year. If again a line 
be taken from the centre of the subsidiary earthwork lying to 
the north-west of the centre, and the subsidiary earthwork lying 
in the south-east, it is found to pass over the centre of the square. 
The direction of this line indicates the point on the horizon where 
the sun rose and set in the old May Year. The old May Year 
was, he considered, a direct importation from Egypt and Chaldea, 
as in those countries, in an extremely remote period, the length of 
the year was measured from the time of the ripening of the crops in 
one year to the ripening of the crops in the succeeding year, and, as 
the crops ripened in May, the year was commenced in that month. 
On Friday, November Ist, the Annual Conversazione was 
held to inaugurate the Session 1907-8. Sir Samuel Wilks, 
Bart., F.R.S., President, and Mrs. Vizard received the members 
and their friends. Dr. C. W. Andrews, F.R.S., of the British 
Museum (Natural History), gave a lecture on ‘‘ Life in some 
Coral Islands,’’ illustrated with lantern slides. The lecturer 
devoted the major part of his remarks to Christmas Island in 
the Indian Ocean, in the investigation of which he had spent some 
months. One of the points of greatest interest in his work is 
the light it has thrown on the much-discussed origin of Coral Atolls. 
Darwin propounded a theory which required investigation for its 
confirmation or confutation. The deep-boring made in the Pacific 
Island, Funafuti, in 1896 and the work of Dr. Andrews were 
undertaken for this purpose. 
Christmas Island is a Coral Atoll, built on a foundation of 
volcanic rocks and of foraminiferal limestone, that has been 
raised some hundreds of feet by successive processes of elevation, 
and subsequently cut into by denudation. Its geological structure, 
therefore, can be read in the sections that have been exposed. It 
rises from very deep ocean, is about twelve miles in length, and 
contains about forty-three square miles of surface. Around its 
shore-line is a succession of terraces and cliffs, corresponding with 
successive periods of elevation. It consists of white coral lime- 
stone, lying on foraminiferal limestone containing intrusive 
basalt, this again on a basis of basalt. A 
