Little Appreciated

Fiji’s Coral Reefs Are Little Appreciated

From Our Own Correspondent SUVA, June 22.

PASSAGES through coral reefs are not, JT as is commonly supposed, due primarily to fresh water discharged by streams. Tidal currents play a larger part than fresh water in keeping pas sages open, and the configuration of the sea floor is an important factor.

These facts were stated by the Super visor of Technical Services in Fiji (Mr.

R. A. Derrick, MBE) in the course of an address to the Fiji Society.

Mr. Derrick said that although Dana, the eminent American geologist, had des cribed Fiji as “one of the grandest regions of growing corals in the world,” few people were aware of the extent and the scientific interest of the coral reefs in the Fiji Group. The total length of Fiji’s reefs must be measured in thousands of miles.

The familiar forms of the corals were deceptive. The polyps fed only at night and in most cases it was only at night that their tentacles were extended.

Dealing with the establishment of new colonies by larvae, Mr. Derrick said that these minute organisms, swimming feebly by vibrating the fine hairs with which they are covered, may with the help of ocean currents cover distances of from 500 to 1,500 miles during their short free swimming stage.

Once a colony is established, however, propragation is usually by budding or division, the branching species of corals putting forth buds which develop into new mouths, and become active polyps, and the more massive species multiplying by the division of one polyp into two, each complete in itself.

While fringing reefs are usually nar row, there are many Fiji examples up wards of a mile in width; and off Udu Point they extend for three miles.

The largest barrier reef in the Fiji Group is the Great Sea Reef, which ex tends from the south-western corner of Viti Levu to beyond Udu Point, a dis tance of some 300 miles. This reef is dnbroken for long distances; and it en closes altogether about 300 square miles of continuous reef grounds.