362 



MEXICO, CENTEAL AMEEICA, WEST INDIES. 



on the nortli coast, but tliey are far less regular, nor are they disposed parallel 

 with the shore. Here the coralline structures are spre id out to a great distance 

 from the land, wherever the relatively smooth water is not exposed to the scouring 

 action of marine currents. 



Thus reefs are somewhat rare on the part of the coast washed by the deep 

 Windward Channel between Cape Maisi and Cape Cruz. They are also absent 

 along the middle section of the south coast owing to the neighbourhood of the deep 

 Yucatan pass I ge and to the swirling waters of a lateral current. For the same 



Fig. 171. — Jaedinillos. 

 Scale 1 : 1,000,000. 





Depths. 



Sands exposed at 

 low water. 



2J to 500 

 Fathoms. 



25 Miles. 



reason no coral reefs occur towards the western extremity of the island swept 

 by the waters of Corrientes Bay, so named from the currents which impinge on 

 this coast and are thence deflected to Yucatan Channel. 



Manzanillo Bay, en the contrary, is more than half covered with reefs, which 

 are continued westwards by the so-called Cayos de las Doce Léguas, the " Twelve 

 League cays." Farther on the Isle of Pines is connected with a labyrinth of 

 reefs and islets, of which the best known are those of the Jardines Bunk and the 

 Jardinillos, forming a seaward prolongation of the marsh of Zapata. In the 



