PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION C. 399 



The third zone (see Plate I.) is somewhat shallower, about 5ft. 

 of water covering it at high tide. Here we find a few corals, mostly 

 Favia and Mussa, and allied forms, which form small isolated masses 

 about the size of a cricket ball. But the Alcyonaria run riot. Huge 

 green discs {Sarcophyton), 8ft. across, whose name — "flesh-plant" — well 

 ■expresses their structure, are intermingled with Spongodes resembling 

 a richly tasselled curtain of dull lilac hue flung on the rocks. 



The next zone consists of an area covered by browni algfe, together 

 with the calcareous green Halimeda. These grow to the foot of the 

 sand beach around the island, the sand from which, drifting to leeward, 

 seems to have prevented the growth of more delicate organisms. 



We have now traversed 300yds. {vide fig. 1, Plate I.), and risen 

 about 6ft. Ascending the rather steep beach, which consists (in order 

 of abundance) of fragments of foraminifera, shells, and coral, we enter 

 the thickly-crowded foliage which crowns the beach. Pandanus, 

 Scaevola, Sophora, Ipomea, Tournefortia, various jasmins, dodders, and 

 prickly-seeded grasses grow thickly together, so that it is difficult to 

 force one's way through. No freshwater is found on these islands, 

 though a brackish supply can be obtained by sinking wells for 10ft. 

 or 12ft., and lining them to prevent infilling with sand.(&) 



Emerging on the southern side of the islet, which is about 200yds. 

 wide, we find, in the East Hope Island, a flat area some three-quarters 

 of a mile long, extending out to the southern rampart on which the 

 south-east wind is raising a a low surf. The southern beach rests on 

 coral sand-rock, with a definite dip of 6" to the north. This pronounced 

 dip is undoubtedly of the nature of current bedding ; and, as will be 

 seen later, the same structure is in process of formation at the outer 

 edge of the present movement. 



On leaving the beach sand, which is only 15yds. wide, one reaches 

 a sandy level area with coral rock patches to which is attached a flourish- 

 ing colony of the. mollusc Chama. It forms a zone about 100yds. wide 

 around the beach sand. The pseudo-lagoon (see Plate I.) of this reef 

 commences about 200yds. from the islet, and gradually deepens to 3ft. 

 or more at the outer edge. At the nearer border, in 6in. of water (at 

 low tide), the sands are dotted with sponges, some cup-shaped [Phyl- 

 lospongia spiralis){c) and algae, resembling nothing so much as a small 

 green bundle of coarse wire netting {Hydroclathrus).{d). Here and there 

 Caulerpa uvulifera presented its bunches of tiny green berries. With 

 it is Cymodocea. 



Seaweed helps to bind the sand together, and large beche-de-mer 

 crawl sluggishly in the shallow water. At 300yds. from shore, the water 

 gradually deepens, and beds of mussels appear. Emerging from the 



(6) The similar fauna and flora of the Claremont Islands, a few degrees north of 

 the Hope Islands, are described by G. F. Mathew (Proc. Linn. Soe. N.S.W.> 

 X., 1885, pp. 251-258). 



(c) Kindly determined by Mr. Whitelegge, Aus. Museum. 

 (d) Kindly determined by Mr. E. J. Goddard, B.A., B.Sc. 



