Coral Architects 



collection of oozes and animal-remains, deposited 

 through ages. 



Many proofs have been found in recent years 

 of the probable truth of the latter theory. Still, 

 it does not of necessity do away with the earlier 

 explanation. Here, once more, the question may 

 be asked — Why should not both be true? If 

 some submarine peaks have been lifted to just 

 the right level by gradual building up of 

 sediment, others may have been so raised by 

 volcanic action or crust-crinkling. 



Either way, it is a marvellous tale. 



Thousands of miles of solid reef- rocks; hundreds 

 of substantial inhabited islands, all reared, inch 

 after inch, by a mere ''gelatinous slime," by soft- 

 bodied jelly-like creatures, first cousins to the 

 dull though pretty anemone of our shores ! 



The thinof sounds incredible ! A stranorer from 

 some far-off world — a stranger even from polar 

 regions on our Earth, unlearned in the lore 

 of warmer oceans — might scout the story as 

 absurd. 



Yet no fact in Natural History is better 

 attested, or stands on a firmer foundation. 

 There is a good deal more in the philosophy 

 of this small world than appears at first sight. 



175 



