24 



A NATUBALIST IN CELEBES 



of coral detritus, where they are washed by a perpetual 

 flow of shallow water. 



On the shore side, the heavy rains bringing down from 

 the mountain slopes an abundance of vegetable mould and 

 soil by degrees raise the shore banks above the level of 

 high-water mark, and then the mangroves are replaced by 

 ordinary forest trees and jungle. In this manner a shore 

 plain never submerged and covered with ordinary forest is 

 gradually formed. 



Upon examining the reefs at this promontory, I found a 

 very marked difference between the vigour of coral life upon 



Fig. 2. — Schematic section of shore platform, swamp, and coral reef. 



A, primitive rock ; B, shore platform covered with ordinary forest trees ; C, mangrove 

 swamp ; D, lagoon ; B, edge of coral reef ; P, talus of reef. 



the extreme seaward point and the sides of the promontory. 

 Where the reefs projected furthest into the sea the 

 corals were few in number, small in size, and separated 

 by considerable intervals of sand. On the northern and 

 southern sides, however, I found the reefs in a very vigor- 

 ous condition. Madrepores, tubiporas, sarcophytums, and 

 sponges were growing in such abundance and profusion 

 that it was impossible to put one's foot down on anything 

 save living zoophytes. 



This condition of affairs at the time astonished me, for 

 I had supposed that those corals which grow upon the most 

 projecting reefs would be likely to receive the greatest 



