3.12 "ALBATEOSS" TROPICAL PACIFIC EXPEDITION. 



flat. The top of the shingle beach consists of large boulders of dead 

 coral thrown up during strong gales ; the smaller fragments have been 

 blown over the top of the beach, down the slope of the island towards 

 the lagoon side (PI. 176). The coral boulders on the lagoon face of the 

 beach are generally black, pitted, and honeycombed, and much worn and 

 weathered. On the lagoon side of Likieb Island a low coralline and coral 

 sand beach not more than three to four feet in height (PI. 175, fig. 2) 

 slopes gradually into ten or fifteen fathoms ; on this slope Nullipores and 

 a few corals occur. Comparatively few corals are found on the sandy 

 part of the lagoon of Likieb except on the very edge of the flats and of the 

 coral knolls. Corails are found scattered over the lagoon on the flats, on 

 the shoals, and on their steep side. They are the usual species we have 

 found in other Marshall Islands, though there are a larger number of 

 Hydrocorallidfe than are usually found in other atolls of the group. The 

 bottom at ten fathoms, where we anchored, consists of fine coral sand 

 silt and Nullipore mud ; this extends over the lagoon wherever we 

 examined it. 



Pools exist on the outer reef flat between the Nullipore knolls and 

 the base of the land rim. On the sea face the island has increased in 

 height from material thrown up on the top of the shingle beach. The 

 reef platform of beach rock conglomerate, which crops out on the lagoon 

 side, is only the extension of the outer sea reef platform. 



Most interesting are the so-called stranded islets of Likieb. They are 

 islets formed parallel to the shore on the lagoon side and have become 

 united by beach dams thrown up from the lagoon face as well as from 

 the sea face through the gaps (PI. 177). When these stranded islets have 

 become united, they form hummocks, as it were. That the hummocks 

 were once islands and islets which have become united, in the manner we 

 have stated, is evident from the existence of old channels, still showing the 

 former isolation of these islets. Mr. Jose DeBrunn tells me that on the 

 island of Lado similar hillocks occur. 



At the gap north of Likieb Island is a wide reef flat, where the heavy 

 breakers have thrown up, as shingle, masses and fragments of corals 

 derived from the outer edge and wide sea flat which separates Likieb 



