4.V_> 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XLIII 



colored fish and many interesting algse. Professor Ernst 

 collected a large number of striking siphoneous algae 

 which abound among the coral reefs. (For a list of the 

 plants collected at these intermediate stations, see Pro- 

 fessor Ernst 's Memoir, pages 9 to 18.) 



Vlakke H'oek was devastated by the great waves result- 

 ing from the eruption of Krakatau, the waves reaching a 

 depth of fifteen meters and sweeping away practically 

 everything except the great iron light house tower, which 

 alone remains of buildings existing before the eruption. 



From Vlakke Tloek we^crossed the Straits of Sunda to 

 the southwest coast of Java (Java's first point), and en 

 mute had our first view of the peak of Krakatau rising 

 above the clouds to the east. The bold shores of the 

 Javanese coast presented a great contrast to the flat, 

 monotonous shore at Vlakke Hoek in Sumatra. The 

 difference in the topography of the land is reflected in 

 the plants, which were strikingly different from those of 

 Vlakke Hoek (see Ernst, pages 24 to 26). Early in the 

 morning of April 26, we approached the Krakatau group 

 of islands. 



The view of the island of Krakatau from the north 

 is most impressive. During the great eruption the vol- 

 canic peak Rakata was cleft down the middle, so that 

 from peak to base its northern side presents a perpen- 

 dicular cliff half a mile high, falling sheer into the sea, 

 which at the foot of the cliff is now more than three 

 hundred meters deep. The exposed face of the cliff 

 forms a perfect median section of the cone, and the ar- 

 rangement of the rocks of which it is built up offers a 

 most extraordinary picture. Professor Ernst took some 

 admirable photographs, which are reproduced in Plate 

 III of his Memoir. 



At six o'clock we dropped anchor and soon after were 



