CORAL REEFS. APPENDIX. 209 



consideration in this place. Mr. Murray, like most of the 

 authorities who reject the Darwinian liypothesis of subsidence, 

 gives no satisfactory data in support of his propositions {e.g., 1, 

 3), and he appears to be satisfied with the mere possibility 

 (doubtless to him, probability) of the correctness of the substi- 

 tute theory. Nor are any facts given to indicate that sub- 

 sidence has not taken place, although it is apparently con- 

 sidered more convenient to " do away with the great and 

 general subsidences required by Darwin's theory." But why ? 

 In what respect is a long-continued subsidence more difficult 

 to be believed in than an equally long continued elevation ? 

 Yet Mr. Bourne, one of tlie strong upholders of the non-sub- 

 sidence theory, affirms his belief ivid. ant.) that " atolls 

 are formed in areas of elevation " and that " most of the coral 

 formations of the Indian Ocean mark areas of elevation rather 

 than of rest " ! Is the question then reduced to one simply of 

 elevation or subsidence ? 



Mr. Murray informs us that his views " are in harmony with 

 Dana's views of the great antiquity and permanence of the 

 great ocean basin, which all recent deep-sea researches appear 

 to support." It is a little difficult to see just how they are in 

 harmony with these views, and apparently they are rtiuch less 

 so than is the subsidence theory. Dana himsjelf states (Re- 

 port Wilkes Exploring Expedition ; A. J. Science, 3d ser., XXX, 

 pp. 94, 97) that the course of the coral islands in the Pacific 

 conforms largely " with the axial line of greatest depression," 

 and that the deep-water area or trough which extends south- 

 eastward from Japan through the Central Pacific conforms 

 " well to the suggestion of the Darwinian theory." I fail to 

 see how, if the coral growths are planted either on ascending or 

 stable areas, the condition specially agrees with any theory of 

 oceanic permanency. I should rather think the reverse, for per- 

 manency in the ocean would seemingly be established through 

 progressive subsidence. Mr. Murray, however, state* that all 

 the volcanic regions which we know have in the main been 

 areas of elevation and we would expect the same to hold good 



