322 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



items which have contributed in the past, and are likely to con- 

 tribute in the future, most extensively towards the production of 

 the large income referred to, are the pearl, pearl-shell, and 

 trepang (or Beche-de-mer) fisheries. These, says Mr. Saville 

 Kent, are capable of development to an almost unlimited extent, 

 and, in addition, there are other fishing and allied industries 

 which await but the advent of scientifically applied labour, and 

 the necessary capital, to yield a rich increase to the colony's 

 wealth. 



To judge by the information afforded by the volume before 

 us, with its beautifully executed photographs and coloured plates 

 of corals, mother-of-pearl shells, oyster reefs, holothurians, 

 anemones, and fishes of the most fantastic shapes and brilliant 

 colours, Mr. Saville, Kent's estimate seems by no means exag- 

 gerated. On the contrary, there would seem to be in this great 

 reef a wealth of natural marine productions which, looking to 

 the extensive area and to the process of recuperation which is 

 constantly going on, must be practically inexhaustible. Under 

 these circumstances it is perhaps surprising that no. enthusiastic 

 naturalist has until now been found to give some detailed account 

 of these wonderful productions, and attempt with the aid of 

 photography to convey some idea of the remarkable appearance 

 presented by a reef with all its masses of corals and gorgonias, 

 sea-weeds and shells, star-fish and holothurians grouped in 

 endless variety as far as the eye can reach. Indeed it may be 

 said that by no process other than that of photography would it 

 be possible to represent with any degree of accuracy the areas of 

 coral-growths that are uncovered by the sea for such short and 

 uncertain intervals. 



Mr. Saville Kent is to be congratulated on the success which 

 has attended his labours, not only in regard to the reproduction 

 of his very beautiful photographs, but in regard also to the 

 valuable information which he has collected in the course of his 

 explorations, and which is now published. His first chapter is 

 devoted to a detailed description of the photo-type plates, which 

 need only be seen to be admired. In the second chapter he 

 deals with the general structure of coral reefs and theories of 

 origin. " The reef-forming corals," he says, " owe their solidity 

 and extensive dimensions to the fact that they represent, for the 

 most part, the united, or, more correctly, imperfectly separated 



