186 '^hc Philippine Journal of Science ms 



examined do not show the least relationship to the Tertiary corals from 

 Java described by Reuss. 



Regarded from this point of view, the raised coral reefs of Luzon must 

 be considered as very recent in oripin. 



The genera identified by us are the following: Galaxaea sp., Favia sp., 

 Maeandina sp., Porites 2 sp., (?) Astraeopora sp. 



The stratigraphic as well as the palaeontologic results go to show that 

 the raised coral reefs of Luzon belong to the most recent geologic forma- 

 tion. One of the most noteworthy features of these reefs to my mind and 

 at the same time a feature of highest geologic significance is their perfect 

 stratification; how this sti-atification came about remains unanswered. I 

 have seen similar coral reefs on the western coast of Luzon which were 

 lifted only a few feet above the level of the sea; these showed the same 

 peculiar property, which von. Mojsisovics has designated iibcrgossene Schick, 

 tiing in describing the Alpine coral reefs. 



May not the stratification of the coral atoll of Benguet be attributed to 

 a periodic cessation of the growth of the reef, perhaps caused by volcanic 

 activity in the vicinity? I can scarcely accept the view that the stratifica- 

 tion took place later, induced by metamorphism. 



I bring this point into prominence, because Giimbel (Sitzungsberichte der 

 mathemat.-physik. Classe der k. k. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Miin- 

 chen, 1873, 3, 71-76) finds reason to deny the coral-reef nature of the 

 Schlerndolomiten in the fact that they are stratified. Giimbel mentions the 

 rare occurrence of thin layers of marl in the Schlerndolomit. I noticed, as 

 was mentioned on page 39, very similar occurrences in the reefs of Sagada. 

 Giimbel finds another argument against the coral-reef nature of the Schlern 

 in the very rare occurrence of coral remains. We have seen how the 

 geologically recent reefs of Luzon have been partly transformed into crys- 

 talline limestone. Even though it is indeed a peculiar thing that Gyropo- 

 rellen are preserved very excellently whereas hardly anything is to be 

 recognized of the corals, this should not be sufficient evidence to doubt the 

 reef nature of the Schlern. Von Mojsisovics, on the other hand, defends 

 the reef nature of the Schlern as follows: 



"There can be no serious objection to the reef origin of the Schlerndolomit 

 so long as we have no more than our present knowledge of the genesis of 

 the lamination and stratification of homogeneous rocks." (Faunengebiete 

 und Faciesgebilde der Triasperiode in den Ost-Alpen, Jahrb. der k. k. 

 geolog. Reichsanstalt, 1874, 96.) 



Semper has pointed out the rapid transformation of reefs into crystalline 

 limestone and the noteworthy preservation of the structure in older corals. 

 His remarks on page 100 of the second sketch, "The reefs and life in the 

 Ocean," are worthy of great attention. 



The most important facts, therefore, lead us to consider the entire Philip- 

 pine Archipelago as being in a state of continuous elevation. The raised 

 coral reefs still in contact with the living ones, to be found at all points 

 on the coasts, as well as the geologically recent reefs at an elevation of 

 4,000 feet in the military districts, are examples which speak enough for 

 themselves. In the Archipelago of the Philippines there are yet to be found 

 living atolls, the growth of which, according to the theories of Darwin and 

 Dana, must have been contemporaneous with a sinking of the ocean bottom. 

 This data led the untiring Forscher to a closer examination of this 



