52 CORAL FORMATIONS. 
entrances to the lagoon, one through the northwestern reef, and 
another through the southwestern. 
Kuria is a remarkable double island, without a proper lagoon. It 
consists of two neighbouring groves, each about a square mile in ex- 
tent, on adjacent patches of reef. 
Maiana is quite regularly quadrangular, with an uninterrupted 
range of land on two of the four sides, and an exposed reef constituting 
the other two. 
Tarawa consists of two sides of a triangle. The western reef is 
wanting, and the sea and lagoon have unbroken communication. In 
place of it, there are two to ten fathoms water, and a bottom of coral 
sand. Small vessels may sail in almost anywhere on this side to a 
good anchorage, and there is a passage for ships of the largest size. 
The depth within is greater than on the bar, and these inner waters 
obviously correspond to the lagoon of other islands. 
Apia has much resemblance to Apamama in its forest border and 
lagoon. Moreover, there is a ship-entrance through the southwestern 
reef. 
Maraki is one of the prettiest coral islands of the Pacific. The line 
of vegetation is unbroken; and from the mast-head it lies like a garland 
thrown upon the waters. ‘The unpractised eye scarcely perceives in 
such a view the variation from a circular form, however great it may 
be. ‘The grove is partially interrupted at one point, where there are 
indications of a former passage through the reef. 
Tari-tari is a large triangular atoll. It is wooded almost con- 
tinuously on the reef facing southeast, and has a few spots of verdure 
on the southwest, with three entrances to the extensive lagoon. The 
northern side is a naked reef throughout, scarcely apparent from a 
ship’s deck, except by the long line of white breakers. Makin, just 
north of Tari-tari, is a mere patch of coral reef without a lagoon. 
We add a few more descriptions of Pacific islands, with figures 
reduced from the maps of the Expedition to a scale of four-tenths of 
an inch to a mile. 
Taiara and Henuake, (figs. 1 and 2,) are two small belts of foliage, 
somewhat similar to Maraki. Henuake possessed an additional charm 
in being tenanted only by birds; and they were so tame that we took 
them from the trees as if they had been their flowers. 
Swain’s and Jarvis Islands, (figs. 3 and 4,) are of still smaller size, 
and have no lagoon. ‘The former is densely covered with foliage, 
while the surface of the latter is sandy. Swain’s Island is a little 
