EEEFS AND CATS OF CUBA. 



861 



The chain of cays from the Sabinal to the Cocos reefs is so regular and pierced 

 by such narrow channels that it might be regarded as a long peninsula running 

 parallel with the mainland. But farther west it is continued by a series of reefs 

 which are breached by wide openings, and which lie close to the shore, like a 

 beach in process of formation, and already partly attached to the coast by the 

 regular spit of Punta Tcacos between Cardenas and Matanzas. 



rig. 170. — Cape San Anto:oto and Coreientes Bay. 

 Scale 1 : 1,300,000. 



West oF ureenwich 



QA-' 



0to5 

 Fathoms 



5 to 50 

 Fathoms. 



Depths. 



5') to 5!"i0 

 Fathoms. 



5nO to 1.000 

 Fathoms. 



30 Miles. 



I,0n0 Fathoms 

 and upwards. 



Including the western chain of reefs and cays the outer shoreline Las a total 

 length of over 300 miles. West of Havana other fringing reefs extend for about 

 140 miles from Bahia Honda to Cape San Antonio. They rest on a coral bed 

 in shallow water, revealing to passing seafarers a shifting panorama of algae, 

 madrepores, and banks of shells. 



On the south side of Cuba the reefs and islets are even more numerous than 



