92 MULTUM E PAEVO. 



panding disks from the individual cells. Even when 

 severed, the branches are exquisitely beautiful so long 

 as they retain the faint purple halo that plays around 

 their ivory tips, but which soon vanishes. A rude touch 

 beneath the water will cause the lovely tints — ^brilliant 

 crimson, orange, and emerald green — to disappear, by 

 the withdrawal of the alarmed polypes ; but they soon 

 protrude again, and expand in their original loveliness. 



The interest with which these gardens are contemplated 

 is enhanced by the multitude of strange creatures which 

 crawl over and through the shrubs. Fishes of the most 

 gorgeous hues, elegant shells, with clouded and spotted 

 animals carrying them, nimble prawns of crimson and 

 yellow, long gliding green worms, and purple sea-urchins, 

 with enormous spines, here find their home and live at 

 ease beneath the unclouded sun. 



The dimensions attained by the labours of the minute 

 workmen are the most astonishing part of the spectacle. 

 "Some individual specimens of Porites, in the rock of 

 the inner reef of Tongatabu, are twenty-five feet in dia- 

 meter ; and Astreas and Meandrinas, both there and in 

 the Fejees, measure twelve to fifteen feet. The platform 

 resembles a Cyclopean pavement, except that the cement- 

 ing material between the huge masses is more solid than 

 any work of art could be. 



" Sometimes the barrier reef recedes from the shore, 

 and forms wide channels or inland seas, where ships find 

 ample room and depth of water, exposed, however, to the 

 danger of hidden reefs. The reef on tbe north-east coast 



