126 



The eastern coast of New Holland is almost wholly 

 girt with reefs and islands of coral rock, rising per* 

 pendicularly from the bottom of the abyss. Captain 

 Kent, of the Buffalo, speaking of a coral reef of many 

 miles in extent, on the south-west coast of New 

 Caledonia, observes, that '' it is level with the water's 

 edge, and towards the sea as steep as the wall of 

 SI house ; that he sounded frequently within twice the 

 ship's lengthof it, with a line of one hundred and fifty 

 fathoms, or nine hundred feet, without being able to 

 reach the bottom." How wonderful — how incon- 

 ceivable ! that such stupendous fabrics should rise 

 into existence from the silent but incessant and 

 almost imperceptible labours of such insignificant 

 worms." 



To the Museum has just been added, the fine Col- 

 lection of Fossil-shells, and other Antediluvian re- 

 mains, collected by the late Mr. Knight of Bland- 

 ford : they are principally of this countrj^ and 

 those from Hordwell Cliff extremely perfect and 

 interesting. 



A very large Bell Glass, containing about 120 

 species of Crabs and other Marine Animals, disposed 

 in an appropriate manner on Corals, &c. 



