338 CORALS AND CORAL ISLANDS. 



Pylstaa.rf s Island, south of Tongatabu, is a small rocky 

 islet without coral. Tafua and Proby are volcanic cones, and 

 the former is still active. 



Savage Island, a little to the east of the Tonga Group, re- 

 sembles Vavau in its coral constitution and cavernous cliffs. It 

 is elevated, according to Williams (pp. 275, 276), one hun- 

 dred feet. 



Beveridge Reef, a hundred miles southeast of Savage, is low 

 coraL 



. e. Samoa n or Navigator Islands. — No satisfactory evi- 

 dences of elevation were detected about these islands. 

 f. Atolls, north of Samoa. 



On account of the high tides (4 to 6 feet), the sea may 

 give a height of twelve to sixteen feet to the land. 



Swain's, near latitude 11° S., is fifteen to eighteen feet 

 above the sea where highest, and the beach is ten to twelve 

 feet high. It is a small island, with a depression at centre, but 

 no lagoon. Probably an elevation of two or three feet. 



Fakaafo, ninety miles to the north, is fifteeri feet high. The 

 coral reef-rock is raised in some places three feet above the 

 present level of the platform. Elevation at least three feet. 



Nukunono, or Duke of Clarence, near Fakaafo, was seen 

 only from shipboard. 



Oatafu, or Duke of York's, is in some parts fourteen feet 

 high. Whether elevated or not is uncertain ; probably as 

 much so as Fakaafo. 



g. Scattered islands farther north, near the equator, east of 

 the Gilbert Gioup. 



Of the Fanning Group, Washington Island, inlat. 4° 41/ 

 S., and 160° 15' W., is three miles in diameter, and is without 

 a proper lagoon ; the whole surface is densely covered with co- 

 coanut and other trees. The height of the land is ten or twelve 



