é 
208 E. B. Hunt on the Florida Reef. 
fore suppose, that a satisfactory explanation of the growth of the 
Pacific coral islands demands vertical movements unlike any 
exhibited in the West Indies. 
the views now presented are correct, the chronology of the 
reef becomes stupendous. The most rapid instance of coral 
ate which I found on the inecikoonnis and foundations of 
rt Taylor was a Meandrina of about six inches radius, which 
was produced within twelve years, or the rate was a half inch 
rannum. Numerous specimens derived from stones or piles 
whose dates of immersion were known, and whose surfaces were 
so rapidly coated by vegetation — corallines that we can safely 
assume the coral colonies to have been planted soon atter im- 
why thie shite should ay be “identical with that on the reef 
proper, as the tidal currents supply ample moving water, and the 
—— is much the same. 
g in mind that the living reef belt hardly averages 4 
mile in don Ere and that this is much interrupted, while the shoal 
co of the Bank averages between fifteen and twenty miles 
road, and that this is but a small part of the breadth of the base 
of this bank, on the original bottom, aside from the marl and 
sand contributed to the Bay of Florida, we are overwhelmed 
with the immense demand for time. We ought not to suppose 
less than three hundred fathoms of detritus built up on an aver 
age. Moreover, much of this calcareous material is likely t 
tion and force of the currents, These tidal curreats often have sey strength, and 
are much modified and increased in force at certain places, or diminished in n others, 
by the position of the reef with reference to th land. eeping in they carry 
the coral d gions to dist d again th long 
fi ar 
only the shore detritus, and distribute it. It is thus seen t that the same region wm eA 
differ widely i in its adjacent parts —may seeming gly afford evidence in one plac ce tha’ 
there is no coral near, and in another no basaltic land, although eit Se 
few rods, or even close along side. The extent of the land in proportion tot 
reef will have an obvious effect upon th e char: acter of | the e nel or Jagoon depo- 
sitions, a i i 
as 
in a wide sea enclosed by a distant barrier, the streams of the land a 
their detritus quite limited. in amount. In such a case, the reef and the growing 
patches scattered over » lagoon, are the sources of nearly all the materia! that is 
accumulated upon n the oie 
Again, p.57: “The r oot fost: wherever broken, shows a detritus origin, ae 
Again, p, 121 (this Journ xiii, 40),—treating of the precautions necessary to Pe 
— correctly the rate of growth of reefs, he observes: “It is also necessary hf 
into whatever ‘hee any bearing upon the marine or tidal currents of t 
fapton thor hashes ned elo direction, where they eddy, and where not, whet 
WwW over 3 that may afford debris, or not. All the debris of one plantat 
ma i ; i he ogee 0 * 4 
one will enlarge at the expense of others; or, currents may carry the detrei 
the channels or aie waters aroun ode frcgi patch, and leave Tittle to aid the pla” 
se 
the oi oem ea the hard compact limestone, contain pe 
a a fossil, which constitutes sv large a proportion of the reef-rock, he s*Y 
