OEOaRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF CORALS. HI 



But with a native canoe, and a Feejee to paddle and dive, the 

 scenes in the deeper waters may not only be enjoyed, but boat- 

 loads of the beautiful corals be easily secured. 



The Hawaian Islands, iu the north Pacific, between the 

 latitudes 19° and 22°, are outside of the torrid zone of oceanic 

 temperature, in the subtorrid, and the corals are consequently 

 less luxuriant and much fewer in species. There are no Mad- 

 repores, and but few of the Astraea and Fungia tribes ; while 

 there is a profusion of corals of the hardier genera, Porites and 

 Pocilliporae. 



The genera of corals occurring in the East Indies and Red 

 Sea are mainly the same as in the Central Pacific ; and the 

 same also occur on the coast of Zanzibar. 



At the eastern of the Pacific coral islands, the Paumotus, 

 which are within the limits of the torrid region, the variety of 

 species and genera is large, but less so than to the westward. 

 Special facts respecting this sea have not been obtained. The 

 author's observations were confined to the groups of islands 

 farther west, the department of corals having been in the hands 

 of another during the earlier part of the cruise of the Govern- 

 ment Expedition with which he was connected. 



The Gulf of Panama and the neighboring seas, north to the 

 extremity of the California peninsula and south to Guayaquil, 

 lie within the torrid region ; but in the cooler part of it. The 

 species have throughout a Pacific character, and nothing of 

 the West Indian ; but they are few in number, and are much 

 restricted in genera. There are none, yet known, of the As- 

 traeacea, and no Madrepores. Prof. Verrill, through the study 

 of collections made by F. H. Bradley and others, has observed 

 that there are, near Panama, a few species of Porites and Den- 

 drophylliee, a Stephanaria (near Pavonia), two species of Po- 

 cilliporaB, two of Pavonias, one of them very large and named 



