THE FISHES OF SAMOA. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES FOUND IN THE ARCHIPELAGO, WITH A PROVISIONAL 

 CHECK-LIST OF THE FISHES OF OCEANIA. 



By DAVID STARR JORDAN and ALVIN SEALE. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The islands of Samoa, known also as the Navigator Islands, or Schiffer Insel, lie 

 in the South Pacific Ocean in latitude 14° south and longitude 172° west. They are 

 volcanic in character, each of the larger ones rising in a high ridge, with extinct 

 craters, now very Heavily wooded. The almost constant rains tend to make these 

 forests very dense, feeding swift, clear streamy, which cany a large volume of water 

 considering the slight length of their courses. Each island is surrounded by a broad 

 coral reef, the outer parts bare at low tide, with a narrow, shallow channel between 

 the inner part and the shore. This reef is interrupted in certain regions, known as 

 the "iron-bound" coast, where the lava rocks cease abruptly beside deep water. It 

 is also interrupted at the mouths of certain streams, which by their fresh waters kill 

 the coral and make a channel through the reef. 



Of these islands the westernmost, Savaii, about 45 miles long by 30 miles broad, 

 is the largest and the most recent geologically. Upolu, 40 miles by 15 miles, is near 

 it in size and position. On the north side of the latter island is the broad V-shaped 

 Baj r of Apia, which can scarcely be called a harbor, as it is filled up by the reef with 

 the exception of a deep and tortuous channel opposite the mouth of the river Vaisigano, 

 a considerable stream, perhaps the largest on the islands. Upolu and Savaii are now 

 under the German Hag, with the capital at Apia. On the west side of the Baj- of 

 Apia is the long, narrow peninsula of coral sand, known as Mulinu'u, the residence 

 of Mataafa, chief of Samoa, and the former residence of the kings of the islands. 

 To the west of Mulinu'u is the shallow Bay of Vaitele, and to the eastward of Apia 

 is the larger Bay of Vailele. Into Vaitele Bay flows Gasegase River. Into the Bay 

 of Apia flows the Vailema stream and the Vaisigano River, while to the eastward 

 Vaivasi River runs into the Bay of Vailele. 



The next island in size and importance is Tutuila, 20 miles long by about 4 miles 



broad, which lies about a deep crater, with the two high peaks of Matabas and Peoa 



adjoining it. The crater has a narrow opening at one side and forms the landlocked 



harbor of Pago Pago, the best in Polynesia, about 2.5 miles long and 1 mile wide, 



with eveiywhere a broad rim of coral reef. There is a small stream near the head 



of the harbor, and there are springs along the side. 



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