GENERAL FEATURES OF THE EARTH. 



35 



the westward, and is a third branch, conforming in direction to 

 the Australasian system. 



Fig. 28. 



A. B, C, Sumatra and Java line of islands ; D, Ceram ; E, north coast 

 of New Guinea; F, South New Guinea; G, Admiralty Islands; II, 

 Louisiade group ; I, Salomon ; J, Santa Cruz group ; K, New He- 

 brides; L, Loyalty group; M, New Caledonia; N, high lands of 

 northeast Australia ; 0, New Zealand ; a b, northwest shore of Bor- 

 neo; cd, east Borneo; e/, west coast of Celebes; g h, west coast of 

 Gilolo. 



/ 



/ 



The Caroline Archipelago forks at its southeastern extremity, — 

 one portion, the Tarawan, Eadack, and Ealick Islands, conforming 

 to the Polynesian system (8, 9, 10 in fig. 27), while the great body 

 of the Caroline Islands trend off more to the westward (No. 11), 

 parallel with New Zealand and the Admiralty group (g, h of the 

 same cut) and others of the Australasian system. 



(5.) New Zealand chain. — The ranges in this chain are mentioned 

 in § 34. The whole length, from Macquarie Island, on the south, 

 to Vavau, a volcanic island terminating the Tonga range, on the 

 north, is 2500 miles. To the east of New Zealand lie Chatham Island, 

 Beverly, Campbell, and Emerald, which correspond to another range 

 in the chain. 



This transverse chain is at right angles with the Polynesian system 

 at the point where the two meet. Moreover, it is nearly central 

 to the ocean; and in its course farther north lie the Samoan 

 and Hawaian Islands, two of the largest groups in the Polynesian 

 system. 



The central position, great length, and rectangularity to the 

 northwest ranges give great significance to this New Zealand or 

 northeasterly system of the ocean. 



