132 FUNAFUTI: A SEQUEL 



composition, and at one time this fact was supposed to 

 militate against a belief in their having once been atolls ; 

 but we now perceive that, so far from being inconsistent, 

 it is in complete harmony with such an origin. 



Quite recently fresh evidence has been given in favour 

 of Eichthofen's view by Dr. Skeats ; we have already 

 mentioned that the limestone of Funafuti is remarkably 

 free from impurity, consisting almost entirely of calcium 

 and magnesium carbonates ; it is thus distinguished from 

 all other organic limestones known to us. Hence it 

 occurred to Dr. Skeats to examine the limestones of the 

 Tyrol to determine how far they resemble or differ from 

 coral limestone in this respect. His results have now 

 (December 7, 1904) been communicated to the Geologi- 

 cal Society of London.* They show that an extremely 

 close resemblance in chemical composition exists between 

 the two limestones, and the argument in favour of the 

 dolomite peaks of Tyrol having once formed coral reefs 

 acquires fresh confirmation. 



We have thus reason to suppose that the mountains of 

 Tyrol, which now rise to a height of 10,000 feet above the 

 sea, once lay submerged beneath it, bearing above their 

 summits shallow^ water lagoons ; while on the other hand 

 the atolls of the Pacific seem to crown the summits of 

 mountains, which at one time rose to an unknown height 

 above its waters, and the fancy often entertained that a 

 large tract of land once rose out of the bosom of this 

 mightest of oceans gains, as research proceeds, more and 

 more an appearance of reality. 



* Since published in full, Quart. Journ. Gcol. Soc., vol. Ixi. p. 97. 



