158 PKOF. T. W. ED(4EW0RTH DAVID, MR. (1. H. HALLIGAX, AND .MR. A. K FINCKII. 



Halimecla alive from a depth of 40 fathoms off Funamanu, on the south-east 

 side of the atoll. Sand composed of joints o? Haliineda was collected by us in more 

 or less abundance in all our dredgings, off Pava, Fuafatu, Tebuka, Tutanga and 

 Funamanu. Mr. Fixckh considers the downward limit of .ffrt/i»2Cf7a at Funafuti to 

 be about 45 fathoms. He records a single instance of it being brought up alive in 

 the tangles from a depth of 86 fathoms. This was off Tutanga. It may be mentioned, 

 however, that during the dredging done at Funafuti in 1897, Halimeda was never 

 found alive much below 40 fathoms. In view, therefore, of the strong evidence in 

 favour of a downward limit for its growth of about 45 fathoms, we are inclined to 

 believe that the specimen dredged from 86 fathoms was probably not in situ. 



If tlie distribution of Halimeda at Fimafuti be briefly summarised, it may l)e 

 stated that this alga lives from a foot or so above low-water spring tide downi to about 

 45 fathoms below sea-level. It grows luxuriantly and rapidly, chiefly in the sandy 

 floor of the lagoon (which Mr. Halltgan's bore proves to be covered, to a depth of 

 at least 80 feet, chiefly with sand composed of joints of Halimeda), and on the sandy 

 submarine slope of the atoll on the ocean side just above the top of the sul)marine 

 cliff. In fact the Halimeda forms a continuous green belt on the outer slojie of the 

 atoll between depths of 20 and 45 fathoms, 



(4) Corals. In the earlier part ot this Memoir, Mr. A. E. Fin'ckh has already 

 recorded his pei'sonal observations on the distribution of the corals at the shallower 

 levels. Mr. J. Stanley Gardinkr has given detailed descriptions of such corals/'^ 

 as has also Mr. T. Whitelegge of the Australian Museum, Sydney. t Here 

 then we shall give only a brief summary of the results of our dredgings in the deeper 

 water, chiefly from a depth of about 20 fathoms down to 200 fathoms. Most of our 

 dredging was done on the western side of the atoll, and here we foimd that 

 Madrepora loripes, which is described by one of us (A. E. Finckh) as being very 

 abundant and characteristic of this part of the atoll, occurred alive, off Funafuti Island, 

 down to depths of about 10 to 15 fathoms. 



With regard to Heliopora Cferulea, which forms such extensive living masses in 

 the Funafuti lagoon, in its northern, southern and western portions, it is singular 

 that we did not obtain a single living specimen of it in our deeper dredgings from 

 20 to 200 fathoms. CVireful examinations ])y one of us (A. E. Finckh) with a water 

 telescope off Fuamanu, Falefatu and Funafuti main island, opposite the diamond- 

 drill camp, failed to reveal the presence of any living Heliopora cfBrulea on the 

 submarine slope of the atoll facing the ocean. 



Mr. Gardjnek, as stated above, records having dredged one small piece of 



* 'Proc. Zool. Soc.,' London, 1898, pp. 257-276, Plates 23 and 2i; pp. 525-539, Plates 43-45, and 

 pp. 994-1000, Plate 62. A report on the Gorgonacean Corals, collected ]).y Mr. Gardiner, by 

 IsA L. Hn^ES, B.Sc, is given, ibid., 1899, pp. 46-54, Plates 1-4. 



t Australian Museum, Sydney. Memoir III, pp. 211 and 305. Plates 16-18 (Alcyonaria), and p. 347 

 (Madrepoiaria). 



