AGASSIZ: THE GREAT BARRIER REEF OF AUSTRALIA. 123 
in size, and the corals became quite abundant on the slope of the reef, 
in about two fathoms of water. Then they formed large disconnected 
masses separated by lanes of coral sand. These patches and heads 
continued into five to six fathoms; beyond this we found only clear 
coral sand. Here, as elsewhere, we brought up from our anchorage, 
in not more than seven fathoms of water, at à distance of less than 
half a mile from the bottom of the slope of Eagle Reef, discolored 
coral sand already well mixed with littoral detritus of a bluish tint. 
On the east face of Eagle Reef we could distinguish a few negro 
heads standing out near the outer edge close to the breakers. 
The flats of (El) 1 and (Em) m Reefs are similar to that of Fagle 
jeet, There are but few negro heads, and no trace of any beach rock on 
the sandbars. Their slopes are covered with corals and coral patches, 
growing under the same conditions as those on the slopes of Eagle Reef. 
The flats of El and Em Reefs are also quite bare of dead corals, being 
covered with coral sand, as is the greater part of the Eagle Reef flat. 
I have very little to add to the report of Kent on the fauna of the 
Great Barrier Reef. The collections made during our short visit are 
naturally insignificant as compared with those made by him during his 
stay in Queensland. With the exception of the large collection of 
corals made independently for me by Professor Henry A. Ward, we 
brought together very little calling for special notice. 
The few pelagio tows we made at several points of our route did not 
give us anything of special interest; the material collected consisting 
of Copepods, Pteropods, Doliolum, Sagitta, Appendicularia, and a few 
Medus. 
At Cairns the same species of Rhizostome we had already seen at 
Hawksbury River was quite common, only light colored. On our way 
home, up the Brisbane River, we met the same species in shoals, espe- 
cially at the bends of the river, where they were packed together like 
paving stones. Тһе specimens we saw exhibited great variation in their 
coloring, passing through all the stages possible between light yellow 
and Prussian blue. 
Blue is a very uncommon color among marine animals. A dark 
blue Linekia is the most common starfish on the inner reef flats. Both 
it and the black Holothurians so abundant on the reef flats are in 
glaring contrast to the brilliant yellowish coral sand flats upon which 
they are found. А similar contrast, and even more striking perhaps, is 
presented by the large Actinians, fully expanded, and their surround- 
ings on the reef flats, while alongside of the glaring colors are found 
