126 FUNAFUTI: A SEQUEL 



follows his observations of detail we find the follow- 

 ing*: "The corals recognised belong to twenty-eight 

 genera ; with one exception they are present in the main 

 boring. They all belong to well-known reef-building forms, 

 and most of them still exist on the reef and in the lagoon 

 of Funafuti. Of the foraminifera forty-one genera have 

 been determined, thirty-five of which occur in the main 

 boring. Only seven of these genera are of significance as 

 rock formers, and, like the corals, they are still flourishing 

 on the present reef or in the lagoon. 



"Although there are considerable differences in the 

 character of the rock in different parts of the main 

 boring, the evidence appears to me to indicate a con- 

 tinuous formation of reef rock, without any abrupt break, 

 from the depth of 1,114 feet to the surface." 



This question is also dealt with by Professor Judd, who 

 writes : " But although nearly 400 feet of core from the 

 bottom of the Funafuti core were very carefully scrutinised 

 by both Mr. F. Chapman and Dr. Hinde, for the purpose 

 of determining the presence of Tertiary limestone, not a 

 trace of these Tertiary organisms could be detected. On 

 the contrary, as the reports show, the same recent species 

 of foraminifera, corals, and other organisms occur from 

 the top to the bottom of the series of cores. On this 

 point the evidence appears to be conclusive, and we are 

 justified in stating that no basis of old Tertiary limestone 

 was reached in the deep boring at Funafuti." t This seems 

 fairly conclusive, and we next turn to another suggestion, 

 also due to Professor A. Agassiz. 



This rests on the fact that a reef may extend itself into 

 depths greater than those of coral-growth by building on 

 its own debris; for in the case of a reef seated on a gently- 

 sloping sea-floor, fragments broken from it by the waves 

 will accumulate in a talus at its foot, and thus raise the 

 * Report, p. 334. \ Op. cit., p. 175. 



