96 M. FOSLIE ON THE LITHOTHAMNIA OF 
AMIRANTE. 
As to the Amirante Bank, Mr. Stanley Gardiner remarks in Ind. Oc. (p. 332): “Its 
surface is decidedly irregular, as masses of growing corals and nullipores may be found 
anywhere, but nowhere attains a greater depth than 37 fathoms. On its edges, where 
nullipores flourish, there is perhaps a greater tendency to growth, but the term ‘atoll? 
cannot as yet be applied to it.” 
It seems as if well-developed Lithothamnia are not abundant in this place, apart, 
however, from its surface-reefs, where Lithothamnia probably occur, though they have 
not been collected. Thus in a depth of 45-60 fathoms (No. E 27) has been dredged a 
solitary specimen of Lithothamnion purpurascens together with a few pieces of small 
calcareous rubble with young and undeterminable crusts of Lithothamnia and a crust- 
like Foraminifer in habit reminding of certain forms of Lithothamnia*. From a depth 
of 30 fathoms (No. E21) have been brought home small specimens of a calcareous 
Squamariacea and a Foraminifer of the same kind as mentioned above. Besides, from 
a depth of 20-25 fathoms (No. E 13) an uncertain stunted specimen of Lithothamnion 
indicum, and from about the same depth (No. E 3) a few pieces forming a conglomerate 
of stunted, undeterminable Lithothamnia, corals, Bryozoa, as well as the above- 
mentioned Foraminifer. 
Tut SEYCHELLES ARCHIPELAGO. 
According to Mr. Stanley Gardiner (J. e. p. 456), this Archipelago comprises two 
coral-islands and seventeen granite-islands. “ Immediately around the granite-islands 
are here and there fringing reefs, especially in bays... . Nullipores practically do not 
enter into their composition, and such coral masses as grow are of comparatively small 
size. Indeed, most owe their origin to the piling up of calcareous and siliceous sand in 
bays, or to the cutting down and removal of the granite above the sea-level. Yet the 
absence of nullipores is the important point, nothing else really being wanting for the 
formation of true coral flats. In no case do these calcareous plants grow well in lagoons 
or enclosed waters, and their absence from the centre of the Seychelles bank—they grow 
well on the edges—is presumably due to the churning up of the water and to the 
removal from it of all carbonic acid gas by seaweeds, etc., before it reaches the 
islands.” 
In a depth of 31 fathoms (No. F 2) have been taken three well-developed specimens of 
Archeolithothamnion timorense and two rather stunted specimens of Lithothamnion 
indicum, in company with a few pieces of calcareous rubble partly covered with 
Squamariacea, partly with the Foraminifera mentioned above. Some specimens of 
Lithophyllum Kaiseri and a couple of specimens of Lithophyllwm moluccense have beon 
brought home from the reef of Praslin Island. In addition, the German * Valdivia 
Expedition t collected on the coast, or in the neighbourhood, of Mahé Island a 
* A similar Foraminifer seems to be abundant at several places in the West Indies, particularly St. Jan and 
St. Croix, also here growing gregariously with Lithothamnia. It is presumed to represent a species of the genus 
Gypsina. 
t Of. the footnote, p. 94. 
