458 



Mr Gardiner, The Coral Reefs of 



[Mar. 7, 



north is 260 feet, and to the south-west are two hills 240 feet 

 high. There are, however, three or four narrow gaps with 

 precipitous sides from 30 — 50 feet below the general level of the 

 ridge. 



50 



FULANGA 



Fig. 6. 



Towards the lagoon the rock ends in low, overhanging cliffs, 

 except in the bays, which generally have sandy beaches. From 

 these the land rises gradually for some distance, followed by an 

 almost precipitous cliff 30 — 40 feet high, reaching to the summit 

 of the ridge, where there is a flat plateau, which varies extremely 

 in width, in some places being at least 250 yards broad, but in 

 general little more than 100 ; beyond this, towards the ocean, 

 there is usually an almost precipitous fall. The north side of 

 Quoin Hill is a precipice 260 feet high, with a sea-washed base ; 

 the shore too along the whole of the north side is very similar. To 

 the south-south-west the fall is about 80° generally; outside this 

 there is an extensive sand flat, upwards of 400 yards broad. This 

 flat is composed of a very fine grained, almost muddy, white sand, 

 consisting of the remains of Foraminifera and calcareous algae, 

 especially of the genus Halimeda, but mainly of the limestone 

 very finely pulverised. It is about 4 feet above high-water level, 

 and wells, after passing through the beach sand rock, reach in 

 8 feet what appears to be the reef-rock ; their water is brackish, 

 percolating through from the sea. 



In the limestone are occasionally large crevices several feet 



