132 CORALS AND CORAL ISLANDS. 



we observe the same peculiarities illustrated on a much grand- 

 er scale. Along the southern shores of Viti Levu, the coral 

 reef lies close against the coast ; and the same is seen on the 

 east side and north extremity of Vanua Levu. But on the 

 west side of these islands, this reef stretches far off from the 

 land, and in some parts is even twenty-five miles distant, with 

 a broad sea within. This sea, however, is obstructed by reefs, 

 and along the shores there are proper fringing reefs. 



The forms of encircling reefs depend evidently to a great 

 extent on that of the land they enclose. That this is the case 

 even in the Argo reef, and such other examples as offer now 

 but a single rock above the surface of the enclosed lagoon, we 

 shall endeavor to make apparent, if not already so, when the 

 cause of the forms of coral islands is under discussion. Yet it 

 is also evident that this correspondence is not exact, for many 

 parts of the shores, and sometimes more than half the coasts, 

 may be exposed to the sea, while other portions are protected 

 by a wide barrier. 



In recapitulation, we remark, that reefs around islands may 

 be (1) entirely encircling ; or they may be (2) confined to a larg- 

 er or a smaller portion of the coast, either continuous or inter- 

 rupted ; they may (3) constitute throughout a distant barrier ; 

 or (4) the reef may be fringing in one part and a barrier in 

 another ; or (5) it may be fringing alone : the barrier may be 

 (6) at a great distance from the shores, with a wide sea within, 

 or (7) it may so unite to the fringing reef that the channel be- 

 tween will hardly float a canoe. These points are sustained 

 by all reef regions. 



It is to be noted that the fringing and barrier reefs here 

 pointed out are not the whole of the coral reef; they are only 

 the portions that have been built up to the water's level. Be- 

 tween them, and also outside of ail, there are the submerged 



