第 2 节
作者:
空白协议书 更新:2021-02-20 16:45 字数:9322
is a special skeleton for every one of these polypes in addition to
that for the whole body。 There is a skeleton formed in the body of
each of them; like a cup divided by a number of radiating partitions
towards the outside; and that cup is formed of carbonate of lime; only
not stained red; as in the case of the red coral。 And all these cups
are joined together into a common branch; the result of which is the
formation of a beautiful coral tree。 This is a great mass of
madrepore; and in the living state every one of the ends of these
branches was terminated by a beautiful little polype; like a sea
anemone; and all the skeleton was covered by a soft body which united
the polypes together。 You must understand that all this skeleton has
been formed in the interior of the body; to suit the branched body of
the polype mass; and that it is as much its skeleton as our own bones
are our skeleton。 In this next coral the creature which has formed the
skeleton has divided itself as it grew; and consequently has formed a
great expansion; but scattered all over this surface there were polype
bodies like those I previously described。 Again; when this great cup
was alive; the whole surface was covered with a beautiful body upon
which were set innumerable small polype flowers; if we may so call
them; often brilliantly coloured; and the whole cup was built up in the
same fashion by the deposit of carbonate of lime in the interior of the
combined polype body; formed by budding and by fission in the way I
described。 You will perceive that there is no necessary limit to this
process。 There is no reason why we should not have coral three or four
times as big; and there are certain creatures of this kind that do
fabricate very large masses; or half spheres several feet in diameter。
Thus the activity of these animals in separating carbonate of lime from
the sea and building it up into definite shapes is very considerable
indeed。
Now I think I have said sufficientas much as I can without taking you
into technical details; of the general nature of these creatures which
form coral。 The animals which form coral are scattered over the seas
of all countries in the world。 The red coral is comparatively limited;
but the polypes which form the white coral are widely scattered。 There
are some of them which remain single; or which give rise to only small
accumulations; and the skeletons of these; as they die; accumulate upon
the bottom of the sea; but they do not come to much; they are washed
about and do not adhere together; but become mixed up with the mud of
the sea。 But there are certain parts of the world in which the coral
polypes which live and grow are of a kind which remain; adhere
together; and form great masses。 They differ from the ordinary polypes
just in the same way as those plants which form a peat…bog or
meadow…turf differ from ordinary plants。 They have a habit of growing
together in masses in the same place; they are what we call
〃gregarious〃 things; and the consequence of this is; that as they die
and leave their skeletons; those skeletons form a considerable solid
aggregation at the bottom of the sea; and other polypes perch upon
them; and begin building upon them; and so by degrees a great mass is
formed。 And just as we know there are some ancient cities in which you
have a British city; and over that the foundations of a Roman city; and
over that a Saxon city; and over that again a modern city; so in these
localities of which I am speaking; you have the accumulations of the
foundations of the houses; if I may use the term; of nation after nation
of these coral polypes; and these accumulations may cover a very
considerable space; and may rise in the course of time from the bottom
to the surface of the sea。
Mariners have a name which they apply to all sorts of obstacles
consisting of hard and rocky matter which comes in their way in the
course of their navigation; they call such obstacles 〃reefs;〃 and they
have long been in the habit of calling the particular kind of reef;
which is formed by the accumulation of the skeletons of dead corals; by
the name of 〃coral reefs;〃 therefore; those parts of the world in which
these accumulations occur have been termed by them 〃coral reef areas;〃
or regions in which coral reefs are found。 There is a very notable
example of a simple coral reef about the island of Mauritius; which I
dare say you all know; lies in the middle of the Indian Ocean。 It is a
very considerable and beautiful island; and is surrounded on all sides
by a mass of coral; which has been formed in the way I have described;
so that if you could get upon the top of one of the peaks of the island;
and look down upon the Indian Ocean; you would see that the beach round
the Island was continued outward by a kind of shallow terrace; which is
covered by the sea; and where the sea is quite shallow; and at a
distance varying from three…quarters of a mile to a mile and a half from
the proper beach; you would see a line of foam or surf which looks most
beautiful in contrast with the bright green water in the inside; and
the deep blue of the sea beyond。 That line of surf indicates the point
at which the waters of the ocean are breaking upon the coral reef which
surrounds the island。 You see it sweep round the island upon all
sides; except where a river may chance to come down; and that always
makes a gap in the shore。
There are two or three points which I wish to bring clearly before your
notice about such a reef as this。 In the first place; you perceive it
forms a kind of fringe round the island; and is therefore called a
〃fringing reef。〃 In the next place; if you go out in a boat; and take
soundings at the edge of the reef; you find that the depth of the water
is not more than from 20 to 25 fathomsthat is about 120 to 150 feet。
Outside that point you come to the natural sea bottom; but all inside
that depth is coral; built up from the bottom by the accumulation of the
skeletons of innumerable generations of coral polypes。 So that you see
the coral forms a very considerable rampart round the island。 What the
exact circumference may be I do not remember; but it cannot be less
than 100 miles; and the outward height of this wall of coral rock
nowhere amounts to less than about 100 or 150 feet。
When the outward face of the reef is examined; you find that the upper
edge; which is exposed to the wash of the sea; and all the seaward
face; is covered with those living plant…like flowers which I have
described to you。 They are the coral polypes which grow; flourish; and
add to the mass of calcareous matter which already forms the reef。 But
towards the lower part of the reef; at a depth of about 120 feet; these
creatures are less active; and fewer of them at work; and at greater
depths than that you find no living coral polype at all; and it may be
laid down as a rule; derived from very extensive observation; that
these reef…building corals cannot live in a greater depth of water than
about 120 to 150 feet。 I beg you to recollect that fact; because it is
one I shall have to come back to by and by; and to show to what very
curious consequences that rule leads。 Well then; coming back to the
margin of the reef; you find that part of it which lies just within the
surf to be coated by a very curious plant; a sort of seaweed; which
contains in its substance a very great deal of carbonate of lime; and
looks almost like rock; this is what is called the nulli pore。 More
towards the land; we come to the shallow water upon the inside of the
reef; which has a particular name; derived from the Spanish or the
Portugueseit is called a 〃lagoon;〃 or lake。 In this lagoon there is
comparatively little living coral; the bottom of it is formed of coral
mud。 If we pounded this coral in water; it would be converted into
calcareous mud; and the waves during storms do for the coral skeletons
exactly what we might do for this coral in a mortar; the waves tear off
great fragments and crush them with prodigious force; until they are
ground into the merest powder; and that powder is washed into the
interior of the lagoon; and forms a muddy coating at the bottom。 Beside
that there are a great many animals that prey upon the coralfishes;
worms; and creatures of that kind; and all these; by their digestive
processes; reduce the coral to the same state; and contribute a very
important element to this fine mud。 The living coral found in the
lagoon; is not the reef building coral; it does not give rise to the
same massive skeletons。 As you go in a boat over these shallow pools;
you see these beautiful things; coloured red; blue; green; and all
colours; building their houses; but these are mere tenements; and not to
be compared in magnitude and importance to the masses which are built
by the reef…builders themselves。 Now such a structure as this is what
is termed a 〃fringing reef。〃 You meet with fringing reefs of this kind
not only in the Mauritius; but in a number of other parts of the world。
If these were the only reefs to be seen anywhere; the problem of the
formation of coral reefs would never have been a difficult one。 Nothin