RECORD: Darwin, C. R. & Emma Darwin. [1843]. CUL-DAR69.A54. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 4.2023. RN1
NOTE: Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin.
The editors of Correspondence vol. 2 noted: "This note is written in pencil on CD's annotated copy of a pamphlet reprint of Maclaren's review of Coral reefs in the Scotsman ( Maclaren 1842). CD's annotations, which appear to be addressed to the author, generally suggest some restatements of the text, e.g., 'frequently' for 'occasionally'; 'nearly' and 'in most cases', where the text has no qualification. Where Maclaren had stated that the word 'atoll' is 'borrowed from the South Sea Islanders', CD has written 'No! inhabitants of the coral-islands in the ['middle of the' del] Indian Ocean.' Where Maclaren had cited the case of 20 atolls forming 'one vast atoll … with a lagoon in the interior of unfathomable depth', CD has written, 'probably not correct, ['or' del] not quite justifiable; too bold', and added, 'I have thrown out as mere speculation that these atolls have originated by the subsidence of ['a reef' del], one great isld. but it [above del 'there'] is rather [above del 'no trace'] too bold to call the space between the two rows of atolls a lagoon'. Maclaren's paragraph describing fringing reefs was deleted by CD and, on a separate piece of paper (DAR 69: 54), CD suggested it be replaced by" [the text transcribed in this note. See CUL-DAR69.A94v.
[A]
A page 11 of Pamphlet)
"Fringing reefs" resemble barrier reefs except in being of less dimensions; where the adjoining sea is deep, they extend a very little distance from the shore, & have no interior lagoon channel; where the sea is shallow, they extend further, & they then have an interior lagoon channel, but this is never of considerable depth, namely above four fathoms & very seldom above two fathoms.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 15 July, 2023