AGASSIZ: THE GEEAT BAKRIER 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 a 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 Eagle 

 Reef. 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 pelagic 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 

 Medusae. 



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. The 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 Linckia 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. A 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 



