. The naturalist in Australia. Natural history. HOUTMAN'8 ABROLHOS. 147 in most instances the initial growths of the handsome violet-tinted species growing on the adjacent reefs, which has been referred to as attaining to such a luxuriant growth in the Pelsart Island Lagoon. At some future date, when the Colony of Western Australia shall have passed its present lusty adolescence, and arrived at that maturer age when it shall possess its own University and Chairs of Natural History, it may be safely prophesied that these Abrolhos reefs, within a twenty-four hours' journey from the metropolis of
. The naturalist in Australia. Natural history. HOUTMAN'8 ABROLHOS. 147 in most instances the initial growths of the handsome violet-tinted species growing on the adjacent reefs, which has been referred to as attaining to such a luxuriant growth in the Pelsart Island Lagoon. At some future date, when the Colony of Western Australia shall have passed its present lusty adolescence, and arrived at that maturer age when it shall possess its own University and Chairs of Natural History, it may be safely prophesied that these Abrolhos reefs, within a twenty-four hours' journey from the metropolis of Perth, or but three or four hours' sail from Geraldton, will constitute one of the happiest and most productive hunting grounds and fields for biological investigation to the associated students of and graduates in Natural Science. In addition to the unprecedented facilities here offered for the most exhaustive study of living Stony Corals or Madreporaria, either individually or in the bulk, abundant material is also to hand for the observation and record of the numerous phenomena of wider scope relating to the formation and growth of the reefs, to their environments and food supply, and also to the complex questions of their rise or subsidence. As a characteristic illustration of the earliest recognisable phase of a coral island, attention may here be directed to the photograph reproduced in this page taken by the ^vriter in close vicinity to Gmi Island, in the Pelsart group. It. W. Mantle Kent, Fhofo " THE BIRTH IJF A CORAL ISLAND," AllROLHOS ARCHIl'ELAGO, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. represents the first accumulation of loose coral fragments raised above high water mark, which, by continued accretion and solidification, becomes fashioned into a typical coral island upon which herbage and terrestrial organisms may eventually become established. This photograph, which has been suggestively designated "The Birth of a Coral Island," was taken, as will be recognised, a
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookp, booksubjectnaturalhistory
