164 On some zoological Pact's 



ticulaily on account of the consequences with which they 

 will furnish us, that I cannot here tbrbcar transcribing what 

 Vancouver has said on the subject. 



*' The country, " says he, " is formed chiefly of coral, 

 and it seems that its elevation above the level of the sea is 

 of modern date ; for not only the shores and banks which 

 extend along the coast are in general composed of coraly 

 since our leatl always brought up some of it, but it wa» 

 found also on the highest hills we ascended, and in parti- 

 cular on the summit of Bald Head, which is at such a height 

 above the level of the sea, that it is seen at the distance of 

 twelve orr) urteen leagues. The coral here was in its pri- 

 mitive state, and especially on a level field of about eight 

 acres, which did not produce the least blade of grass amidst 

 the white sand with which it was covered, but from which 

 arose branches of coral exactly similar to those exhibited by 

 bed^ of the same substance above the surface of the sea, 

 with ramifications of different sizes. Some half" an inch at 

 least, and others four or five inches in circumference. Many 

 of these coral fields, if I may use that expression, are to bff 

 met with : a large quantity of sea shells, some perfect and 

 still adhering to the coral, and others at different degrees of 

 dissolution, are observed in them. The coral itself was more 

 or less friable; the extremity of the branches, some of which 

 rose more than four feet above the sand, was easily reduced 

 to powder. In regard to the parts which were near or below 

 the surface, a certain degree of force was necessary to de- 

 tach them from the foundation oi" rock from which they 

 seemed to arise. I have seen coral in many places at a con- 

 siderable distance from the sea, but I never saw it any 

 where else so high and so perfect*." 



This, no doubt, is one of the most curions facts of this 

 kind, as well as one of the most important to be verified 

 and to be examined. Will it now be believed that the two 

 vessels belonging to our expedition, the Geographe and 

 the Casuarina, remained for nearly a month at ar»cbor in 

 Port King George, at the foot, as we may say, of thid Bald 

 Head, so valuable to be visited, without any of the three 

 naturalists, who still remained on board these vessels, being 

 permitted to go thither ? 



Fortunately the large island of Timor presented a field 

 still wider and more striking for observations on zoophytes. 

 There every thing attests their power, and the revolutions 

 eSectcd by them in nature. They arc found on (he summits- 



" Vancouver's Voyage, vol. i. 



of 



i 



