Note 12 — Chapter IV · ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND GROWTH OF CORAL-REEFS.

Lieutenant Wellstead and others have remarked that this is the case in the Red Sea; Dr. Rüppell (“Reise in Abyss.” Band. i., page 142) says that there are pear-shaped harbours in the upraised coral-coast, into which periodical streams enter. From this circumstance, I presume, we must infer that before the upheaval of the strata now forming the coast-land, fresh water and sediment entered the sea at these points; and the coral being thus prevented growing, the pear-shaped harbours were produced.