430 Mr Gardiner, The Coral Reefs of [Mar. 7, 



Hence I can only conclude that these pinnacles are really due to 

 an elevation, and are the remains of a part of an old raised reef, 

 which formerly extended for some distance outside the present 

 hurricane beach. If this same zone is examined, on the three 

 islands to the south of the main island, it will be seen to get 

 progressively rougher with more pinnacles. The middle island, 

 Funangongo, has no pinnacles, but across this zone there run out 

 from the hurricane beach great buttresses of coral with fissures 

 between, up which the waves rush at high tide. These buttresses 

 are essentially a part of the hurricane beach behind them, and 

 run out almost to the edge of the rough zone : at ordinary high 

 tides the crests of most are just awash. The scour of the tide 

 between these buttresses is very considerable, and accordingly 

 they are to some extent undermined at their sides and bases. On 

 the next island to the south, Funamanu, the same characters are 

 still further accentuated, cross channels sometimes occurring 

 between these fissures leaving pinnacles outside the buttresses. 

 Corals in the position of growth are found plentifully on the tops 

 of these buttresses. The rock forming their greater part is to 

 the eye structureless, but in places sand and slabs may be seen, 

 indicating horizontal stratification. The buttresses are continuous 

 with the lower part of the hurricane beach behind, the upper 

 part of which is formed by piled-up fragments from the reef in 

 front. The resemblance of this part of the dry reef to the extreme 

 outer edge of the living reef, as it at present exists, is very extra- 

 ordinary. Every stage, from the pinnacles on the extreme 

 windward face to this structure, can be traced, and I do not think 

 there can be any doubt but that these pinnacles once formed 

 part of a similar structure on the weather face, the greater portion 

 of which has been washed or dissolved away. 



On Mateika, Luamotu and Funafara, an almost exactly 

 similar rough zone to that of Funamanu was found ; but to the 

 south of the " pocket " this zone is about 70 yards broad and 

 very much as described for the windward side of the atoll, save 

 that it is rougher and more strewn with boulders, which the seas 

 have apparently not been powerful enough to roll up together 

 to form a hurricane beach, as in fact none such can be said to 

 exist. On the outer sides of the leeward islands the same zones 

 are found, but generally the outer rim is less well defined, while 

 the rough zone is exceedingly broad and rugged. Commonly the 

 reef-flat is 30 — 40 yards across, the rough zone being about twice 

 as broad. 



Horse-shoe island, or Fuafatu, on the leeward side exhibits all 

 these characters in its reef very well. The rim is distinct, but its 

 fissures are less numerous and deep than to windward ; the reef- 

 flat is about 35 yards in breadth and the rough zone about double 



