Coral.

Manawatu Herald, 6 October 1892, Page 2

Coral.

In a letter lately 'received from the Rev. Dr Lamb who wrote from Epi, New Hebrides, there is an interesting account of a coral reef. He states :— Lasfc Saturday, as a small j party, we went down to the shore to picnic and to see the coral reef. The tide was low, and we could' go a long way out. With old shoes to protect the feet and armed with a hammer and cold chisel, we waded about peeping into the pools and knocking off choice lumps ot coral. The fish in the pools are small ' but exquisitely beautifol — gredn v and gold, peacock blue, p&ik-atad J white, silver and black, red ati'd green, all colours in almost endless diversity. As for the coral it is a very different thing from what you see undt* r glass cases. Our attention was first caught by what looked , likV a rhododendron blossoming 'in ' P> shallow pool— it was a lovely growth of coralf a pale pink or purple. . And then we began to find almost a g many colours of coral as of fish — « cream-white, emerald, lilac Or lavender, dark browns and purples, pale yellows and shy- blues. Within a small area we collected some eighteen different varieties classifying them according to forrii. ; . ' It has taken me a day Vaiicl' & half while waiting for the ' steamer; to boil and cleanse the coral,' tobifyl and tubf ul being put on the /fire, The colours fade rapidly once the' pcflypfc are out of the water and the smell as they die is repulsive, ' So!' to whiten our specimens' we! ',boil, them for a few hours in a' solution' of

washing soda, then pour clean water on them from a height, and lastly expose them to the sun and' raim "