loo TROPIC DAYS 



goods of God's mercy driven ashore, no WTeck or ship 

 being visible ? 



This small bay never ceases the laj'ing of tribute at 

 one's feet. There are seasons when the amount is less 

 than at others; but how seldom are its sands trodden 

 without a displaj^ of the infinite varietj' of productions 

 of the ocean ? When the mood of the sea is savage and 

 the spoil from the reef is flung in ridges among the 

 vegetation of the shore — coral in blocks and shattered 

 masses, shells, seaweed, sponges, and other dead marine 

 animals and driftwood, heap on heap — days of enthu- 

 siastic toil might be spent in sorting out the over- 

 surplus of the secrets of the sea. But for months 

 together the beach maintains its cleanly orderhness, and 

 during these dreamy days the sea will tell of many a 

 pretty treasure which the sands will reveal in the face of 

 the sun. 



The most famous of botanists compiled a floral 

 almanac ; the months, and in some cases the weeks, 

 being associated with the development and flowering of 

 significant plants. So might it be possible to ascribe 

 to particular months the tokens with which the obliging 

 sea bestrews the beaches. It is not proposed herein to 

 attempt any such design, which would involve special 

 knowledge of the science of concholog}' and the compila- 

 tion of the records of years of patient observation. A 

 few examples of the material on which the delightful 

 work might be undertaken are given, so that the wealth 

 of one brief strip of beach may be taken as tj'pical of a 

 vast stretch of calm waters within the Great Barrier 

 Reef. 



The ridges and furrows of the cyclone season, when 

 the clean sand is covered and stained with weed, dead 

 and living molluscs, coral, leaves carried from the hills 

 by flooded streams, all fermenting in the heat, tell 



