FRIENDLY ISLANDS. 299 



leafy, others knobby or massive ; some bushy, some tree-like or 

 saucer-shaped on huge disks ; some sessile, others on stems. 

 The colours varied from white to brown, purple, green, yellow, 

 flesh-coloured, and dull red ; and many reflected rainbow tints, 

 changing with the angle, particularly at the tops of the branches. 

 The water was clear as air, and through it multitudes of little 

 sapphire fishes (Coloto) darted among the coral branches. Sea- 

 weeds were very few, and almost all of the green order, 

 amongst which were Sdlimeda and Bryopsis. Star-fishes of the 

 long-armed class {Opliiura and Ojplviocoma) were abundant, and 

 a large brown feather-star was frequent under stones. Great, 

 black, ugly sea-cucumbers (Holothuriee or Trepang) were 

 crawling everywhere. I caught at one, which immediately 

 threw out multitudes of long, blue, shiny, slimy threads that 

 coiled round my fingers. I dropped the brute, but had some 

 difficulty in getting my hand free : it did not sting me, however. 

 I picked up a Cidaris and an Echinus (urchin), and saw another 

 species of the latter which I did not venture to touch, re- 

 membering how I had been stung by one (I think the same 

 species) at Key West: it has long, slender, and very brittle 

 spines, covered with highly poisonous slime. Near the edge of 

 the reef Nullipores 1 abounded in places left bare at low water. 

 I noticed that some of the living corals were bare also, but pro- 

 bably they did not long remain so, for it was a low spring-tide. 

 A huge and beautiful species of Alcyonium (a soft coral called 

 dead man's toes) grew where it was left exposed at low water. 

 In this state its substance shrank up under the sun and became 

 of a pale-brown or sponge colour, but when its animals were 

 expanded under water, this lobed, fleshy mass was thickly 

 spangled with golden stars, and looked very lovely. Several 

 naked Mollusca, of gay colours and beautiful forms, glided amid 

 the corals, but I could only do them homage, and release them 

 again. There were besides, countless soft creatures allied to sea 

 anemones ; in fact, quite an Alhnanic paradise. I found but 

 few shells, and these, for the most part, rough and common. 



2$th. No beating of native cloth to-day, the women being- 

 busy preparing their food and cleaning up for Sunday, besides 

 liming and oiling their hair and otherwise beautifying them- 



1 For a description of tins race of coralline-like plants, see " Sea-side Book," 

 page 120. 



