28 E. C. ANDREWS. ~ 
elevated more than a few feet above sea level. The less 
stable volcanic belts of the Society and Tongan Groups 
possess barriers of moderate size, but no elevated reefs. 
Kastern Australia has no raised reefs either of Tertiary 
or Pleistocene Age. Western, or Main Fiji, however, has 
a great development of “‘soapstone’’ and coral-bearing 
limestone of Tertiary Age at high elevations, all the types 
being well bedded. 
On the other hand the long lines of coral islands which 
form the eastern belts of the various groups show ter- 
raced forms, the formations themselves being of coral of 
Pleistocene Age, but the elevations of the terraces are 
very variable, even in islands situated near each other. 
These non-bedded limestones lie unconformably on “‘soap- 
stone ’’ Kainozoic limestone or volcanic material, in beds. 
(3) The Variable Ages of the Structures of Individual 
Groups.—These groups, considered from South Western 
Australia to Tonga, appear to show progressive youth of 
formation. Thence to the Paumotus they reveal a decided 
similarity to Tonga in structure. 
Western Australia is a plain excavated in Archzeozoic 
rocks and which has been uplifted since as a broad flat 
crest to an earth wave. 
Hastern Australia is the crest of another earth wave 
which has been formed within rocks, not of Archzeozoic 
type, but of those dating from the earliest Palseozoic to 
the Kainozoic. 
New Caledonia is an ‘* oldermass,’’ as Davis would say, 
nevertheless much younger than its western relatives 
mentioned above. 
The Loyalties are Pleistocene islands of small size which 
have emerged from the sea as gentle elevations only. 
~ ~~ 
ae 
