104 



FUNAFUTI 



singular in this respect, and the term " coral " sand is 

 only another instance of the "Incus a non." 



The lagoon beach ends in a tiny cliff about a foot 

 in height,* to the very edge of which sparse turf and 

 vegetation of a larger growth extends ; the land to which 

 this cliff is boundary consists chiefly of small fragments 

 of coral and shells of Foraminifera ; it rises a little so as 



FI-G. 27. Lagoon Beach, just in front of our "fale" (hut), 

 showing mounds thrown up by shore crabs. The mounds 

 were frequently more numerous than in this instance. 



to attain a maximum height of 3 or 4 feet above high- 

 water mark. In breadth it varies considerably, and where 

 broadest the native village stands, w T ith the church, large 



:: This applies to that part of the islet on which our house was 

 built; in some places more considerable cliffs are met with, e.g., 

 on one of the northern islets of Funafuti, called Amatupu, where 

 a conglomerate of coral pebbles forms steep faces some 6 feet 

 or more in height. 



