. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. 8U THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. moved by washing tlie shells in the sea. Tlie demand by button makers for trochus sliell has been created with- in the last ten years. The catches after being pi-epared for market, are shipped to Japan where rows of buttons are cut from each shell. A CORAL RKKF. At first sight a coral reef is very disappointing; the surface is composed of dead and broken coral presenting a long vista of heaps of discoloured frag- ments which have been piled up by the action of the waves. As the coral grows nearer to the surfa
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. 8U THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. moved by washing tlie shells in the sea. Tlie demand by button makers for trochus sliell has been created with- in the last ten years. The catches after being pi-epared for market, are shipped to Japan where rows of buttons are cut from each shell. A CORAL RKKF. At first sight a coral reef is very disappointing; the surface is composed of dead and broken coral presenting a long vista of heaps of discoloured frag- ments which have been piled up by the action of the waves. As the coral grows nearer to the surface of the sea portions become exposed to the direct heat of the sun when the reef is un- covered at low tide and under these circumstances the coral soon dies. The liranched forms ("stag-horn coral") die first, and their broken limy skeletons compose the main bulk of the reef. In the deeper pools left by the receding tide, and on tlie outer edge of tlie reef flourish the living corals which are of extreme lieauty and of the utmost in- terest. As these continue to grow all around the edges in the deeper water they are continually adding to and thus enlarging the size of the reef. There are many different kinds, from llie l)ranching "stag-horn coral"' to the great rounded masses of the "brain corals," which may be three feet or more in dia- meter. The colours of the living corals are lirilliant and diverse, one liranching variety being a beautiful light green with the end of each branch terminating in a bright yellow tip. Some are vari- ous shades of pink, while others again are a brilliant blue. In and out be- tween the coral branches of these sub- merged gardens dart many Ijizarre and highly-coloured flaml)oyant fishes, which harmonise to an extraordinary degree with their florid surroundings. In the deeper channels between the reefs large Spanish mackerel, exceeding Use ie^' in length, were often caught on lines baited with red flannel, and traile
Size: 1990px × 1255px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
