GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 101 



volcanic action among them. Some of them are elevated coral 

 islands, as Mitiaro, Atin, Mangaia and Manki, and also, according 

 to Slutchbury, Rurulu. Okatutaia is a low coral island bnt six 

 or seven feet out of water. 



Between the Panmotns and the longitude of Samoa, are nu- 

 merous small islands, all of coral origin. 



The Samoan Islands have extensive reefs. About Tutuila 

 they are somewhat less extensive than around Upolu, owing to 

 its abrupt shores; and about Savaii they are still smaller, as 

 already explained. The influence of abrupt shores may also be 

 seen in some parts of Upolu; for example, to the west of the 

 harbor of Falifa, where, for several miles, there is no reef, except 

 in some of the indentations of the coast. Manna is described as 

 having only shore reefs.* 



The Tonga Islands, south of Samoa, for the most part, abound 

 in coral reefs, and Tongatabu and the Hapai Group are solely of 

 coral. Eoa is a moderately high island, with a narrow reef. 

 Tafoa, an active volcano, and Kao an extinct cone, are without 

 reefs. Vavau, according to Williams,! is an elevated coral island. 

 Pylstaarls, near Eoa, is a naked rock, with abrupt shores, and 

 litile or no coral. Sunday Island, farther south, (29° 12' S.,) is 

 beyond the coral-reef limits. 



North of Samoa are several scattered islands of small size, all 

 of coral. 



The Feejee Group, as we have sufficiently described, abounds 

 in reefs of great extent. There are no active volcanoes, and, 

 where examined, no evidence of very recent volcanic action. 

 The many islands afford a peculiarly favorable region for the 

 growth of zoophytes, and the displays of reefs and living corals 

 were the most remarkable seen by the writer in ihe Pacific. 



North of the Keejees are numerous islands, leading up to the 

 Carolines. They are all of coral, excepting Rotuma. Home and 

 Wallis's Islands, which are high, and have fringing or barrier 

 reefs. The reefs of Wallis Island are very extensive. 



The Tarawau Islands, and the Carolines including the Mar- 

 shall Islands, eighty-seven in number, are all atolls, excepting the 

 three Carolines, Ascension or Bauabe, (Pouynipele of Lutke,) 

 Ualan, and Hogoleu (or Rou^). 



The westernmost of the Sandwich Islands, Kauai and Oahu, 

 have fringing reefs, while eastern Maui and the island of Hawaii 

 have but (ew traces of corals. On Hawaii, the only spot of reef 

 seen by us, was a submerged patch off the southern cape of 

 Hilo Bay. We have already attributed the absence of corals to the 

 volcanic character of the island. The small islands to the nonli- 



* Narrative Expl. Exp., by C. Wilkes, TJ. S. K, ii, 65. 

 f Miss. Enterprises, p. 427, Amer. ed. 



