CH. VI MASINE FAUNA OF TALIS SE SE0EE8 111 



from 112 to 648 fothoms off the northern point of Limbe, 

 and the east of Banka Strait, my impression is that on the 

 bottom of the deeper waters there is a much larger propor- 

 tion of black sand mixed with the calcareous deposits than 

 there is in the deeper parts of the straits which never reach 

 to more than 40 fathoms. It should be mentioned, how- 

 ever, that the region in which these observations were made 

 is not a good one for giving a fair account of the character 

 of the deep-sea bottom, owing to a recent eruption of the 

 Batu angus, which must have sent tons of black soil to the 

 bottom of the sea in this region. 



At the mouth of the river at Likupang there are a 

 number of extensive sand-banks covered by a few fathoms 

 of water. I dredged in that neighbourhood on several 

 occasions, but found very Uttle animal life there ; in fact, 

 as far as I can remember, the only thing I caught was a 

 fine large claret-coloured feather-star. Whether this re- 

 markable absence of life upon the Likupang sand-banks is 

 due solely to the stream of fresh water, or is connected 

 with the sulphur which is said to be brought down in 

 considerable quantities by the Likupang river, I have no 

 evidence to determine. 



Turning now to the fauna of the coral reef. 



The fishes which actually hve among the living corals 

 must be distinguished from those which Hve in the lagoon 

 at high tide, and among the corals or in deeper water when 

 the tide is low. The former are, without exception, I be- 

 Ueve, most brilliantly coloured; the latter are not. The 

 brilliant colours of the reef fishes were first noted by 

 Captain Cook, and form one of the most striking features 

 of the fauna of the tropical shores. Very few of them can 

 be called beautiful, however, although their colours are so 

 rich and brilHant. They are more quaint than pretty, 

 more grotesque than beautiful. 



