CORAL REEFS OF AUSTRALIA. 375 



shells, which as we have mentioned, in one or two 

 instances, from its white appearance has often been 

 taken for sand. 



The remarkable breaks in this singularly great 

 extent of coral reefs, known as the Barrier of Aus- 

 tralia, being in direction varying from W. to W.N.W. 

 generally speaking N.W., leads me to believe that 

 the upheaval by which the base of this huge coral 

 building was formed, partakes of the general north- 

 westerly direction, in which a large portion of the 

 eastern world apparently emerged from the water. 

 A glance at the map of that portion of the glcb3, 

 will strengthen this hypothesis, placing as it does 

 this singular fact at once before the reader's mind. 

 Starting with the stupendous heights of the Hima- 

 laya mountains, and proceeding thence to several 

 groups of the Polynesian islands, New Caledonia, 

 and others, this remarkable similarity in the trend 

 of these portions of the earth is plainly distinguish- 

 able. It would appear, therefore, from the gene- 

 ral north-westerly tendency of these upheavals, 

 that the cavernous hollows beneath the crust of 

 the earth, within whose bosom originated these 

 remarkable convulsions, have a strong inclination 

 in one direction, a circumstance in connection with 

 the earth's historv of o^reat and curious interest. 

 With this general statement of facts, which we note 

 for the benefit of scientific men, and in illustration 

 of the singular changes which are taking place on the 

 surface of the globe, we return to our narrative, 



