WEST INDIES. 259 



observed by Professor Rogers,) to Florida, have the same 

 character. Professor Eogers, in his Report to the British 

 Association (vol. iii. p. 13), speculates on the origin of 

 these low, sandy, linear islets; he states that the layers of 

 which they are composed are too homogeneous, and contain 

 too large a proportion of shells, to permit the common sup- 

 position of their formation being simply due to matter thrown 

 up, where it now lies, by the surf : he considers these islands 

 as upheaved bars or shoals, which were deposited in lines 

 where opposed currents met. It is evident that these islands 

 and spits of sand parallel to the coast, and separated from it 

 by shallow lagoons, have no necessary connection with coral- 

 formations. 



Having now endeavoured to remove some sources of doubt 

 in classifying the reefs of the West Indies, I will give my 

 authorities for colouring such portions of coast as I have 

 thought myself warranted in doing. Captain Bird Allen in- 

 forms me that most of the islands on the Bahama Banks are 

 fringed, especially on their windward sides, with living reefs ; 

 and hence I have coloured those, which are thus represented 

 in Captain Owen's chart, red. The same officer informs me, 

 that the islets along the southern part of Florida are similarly 

 fringed ; coloured red.— Cuba : proceeding along the northern 

 coast, at the distance of 40 miles from the extreme S.E. 

 point, the shores are fringed by reefs, which extend westward 

 for a space of 160 miles, with only a few breaks. Parts of 

 these reefs are represented in the plans of the harbours on 

 this coast by Captain Owen ; and an excellent description is 

 given of them by Mr. Taylor (Loudon's Mag. of Nat. Hist, 

 vol. ix. p. 449) ; he states that they enclose a space called the 

 ' baxo,' from half to three-quarters of a mile in width, with a 

 sandy bottom, and a little coral. In most parts people can 

 wade, at low water, to the reef ; but in some parts the depth 

 is between two and three fathoms. Close outside the reef, the 

 depth is between six and seven fathoms : these well-charac- 



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