Yol.  49.] 
THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  NEW  HEBRIDES. 
231 
From  the  spur  at  Port  Stanley  in  the  same  Island  of  Malekula, 
at  500  feet  above  sea-level,  there  are  some  specimens  of  a  white, 
cavernous  limestone  mainly  consisting  of  Lithothamnion ,  with  a  few 
fragments  of  coral  and  some  scattered  foraminifera  ( Globigerina 
and  Amphistegina).  Another  specimen  is  a  fine-grained  calcareous 
rock  in  which  fragments  of  corals  and  foraminifera  ( Uotalia  and 
Globigerina )  are  obscurely  shown  in  places. 
From  the  above  description  it  appears  that  the  so-called  coral- 
rock,  from  elevations  of  345,  500,  and  1274  feet  in  different  islands 
of  the  New  Hebrides,  is  mainly  built  up  of  nullipores  and  corals 
with  an  admixture  of  foraminifera,  and  it  therefore  corresponds 
in  character  with  the  fossil  coral-rocks  described  from  Barbados, 
the  Solomon  Islands,  and  other  localities.  The  rocks  occurring  at 
lower  levels  on  the  shores  of  Sasun  Bay,  in  Malekula  Island,  are 
of  quite  a  different  character ;  in  one  instance  they  consist  of  a 
claystone,  probably  of  volcanic  debris,  in  which  there  are  a  few 
foraminifera,  and  in  another  the  rock  is  distinctly  foraminiferal, 
with  only  a  slight  admixture  of  nullipore- fragments.  In  another 
part  of  Malekula  Island,  a  greenish-white,  porous  claystone  occurs 
nearly  at  the  sea-level,  but  no  organic  remains  could  be  recognized 
in  it,  and  it  is  probably  made  up  of  volcanic  debris.  The  fine¬ 
grained  claystones  quarried  at  Port  Sandwich,  at  400  feet  above 
sea-level,  are  apparently  of  a  similar  character.  In  none  of  the 
rocks  of  this  group,  so  far  as  at  present  examined,  is  there  any  evi¬ 
dence  of  a  deep-water  origin. — March  10th,  1893.] 
Discussion. 
The  President  said  that  it  was  very  gratifying  to  have  a 
communication  from  an  officer  of  H.M.  Navy.  He  regretted  that 
the  Geological  Society  had  no  officers  of  the  Royal  Navy  amongst  its 
Fellows.  The  area  was  interesting,  on  account  of  the  oscillations  in 
level  which  had  taken  place,  and  also  because  of  the  commingling 
of  coralline  and  volcanic  rocks.  He  observed  that  no  mention  was 
made  in  the  paper  of  oceanic  deposits  similar  to  those  described  by 
Dr.  Guppy  as  occurring  in  some  neighbouring  islands. 
Sir  Archibald  Geikie,  referring  to  the  encouragement  given  by  the 
present  Hydrographer  of  the  Admiralty  to  the  officers  of  surveying 
vessels  of  the  Royal  Navy  to  make  scientific  observations,  congratu¬ 
lated  Lieut.  Frederick  on  having  so  worthily  carried  out  the  designs 
of  his  chief.  One  of  the  main  points  of  interest  in  the  present  paper 
lay  in  its  bearing  upon  the  theory  of  the  origin  of  coral-reefs.  In 
the  region  described  by  the  Author  there  seemed  to  be  no  evidence 
whatever  of  subsidence,  but  abundant  and  striking  proofs  of  eleva¬ 
tion,  f ringing-reefs  occurring  at  various  heights  up  to  500  feet  above 
the  sea,  and  coral-rock  even  at  the  remarkable  height  of  1500  feet. 
A  solitary  atoll  observed  by  the  Author  lay  in  the  midst  of  these 
proofs  of  elevation,  and  afforded  no  indication  of  a  contrary  move¬ 
ment.  The  ‘  claystones  7  referred  to  in  the  paper  had  not  been 
