ELEVATIONS IN PACIFIC CORAL MEG IONS. 343 



lice, Depeyster, and four islands on the track toward the Kings- 

 mills, were passed by the sloop of war Peacock of the Wilkes 

 Expedition ; but from the vessel, no evidences of elevation could 

 be distinguished. The first two are high islands, with bar- 

 riers, and the others are low coral. Rotuma (177° 15' E., 

 and 12° 30' N.), is another high island, to the west of Wal- 

 lis's. It has encircling reefs, but we know nothing as to its 

 changes of level. 



k. Kingsmill or Gilbert Group. (Map, p. 165.) 

 Tapateuea or Drummond. — This is one of the southern 

 islands of the group. The reef -rock, near the village of Utiroa, 

 is a foot above low-tide level, and consists of large massive As- 

 trseas and Maaandrinas. The tide in the Kingsmill seas is seven 

 feet ; and consequently this evidence of a rise might be doubted, 

 as some corals may grow to this height where the tide is so high. 

 But these Astrgeas and Masandrinas, as far as observed by the 

 writer, are not among the species that may undergo exposure 

 at low tide, except it be to the amount of three or four inches ; 

 and it is probable that an elevation of at least one foot has 

 taken place. 



Apaiang or Charlotte's Island, one of the northernmost of 

 the group, has the reef -rock in some parts raised bodily to a height 

 of six or seven feet above low- water level, evidencing this 

 amount of elevation. This elevated reef was observed for long 

 distances between the several wooded islets ; it resembled the 

 south reef of Nairsa in the Paumotu Archipelago in its bare, 

 even top, and bluff, worn front. An islet of the atoll, where we 

 landed, was twelve feet high, and the coral reef -rock was five 

 or six feet above middle tide. A wall of this rock, having the 

 same height extends along the reef from the islet. There was 

 no doubt that it was due to an actual uplifting of the reef to a 

 height of full six feet. 



