strongest at the 2 ends of the island the Protestants in the center where the largest types of forests appear. It is of interest to note the similarity between Mare and Uvea in the areas of altitude. (see Mare Islands summary) and Beaupre Island also. In fact all three islands show consider- able similarity though Lifu shows less than the other three. Speaking generally all the Loyalties show four regular stages. Mare, the most advanced to Beaupre, the least, and latest forma- tion. The whole showing that the mountain chain is probably a block rising in the east and falling in the west and as sub- arine peaks have reached depths suitable for coral polyps to colonise they have built on these peaks and raised coral masses to sea level which have been since raised above sea level by vol- canic up thrust or continued raising and tilting of the block forming the earth's crust in that area. Sub-Areas and Variation of Soil and Vegetation Soil anywhere on Uvea is scanty and generally speaking rather infertile and except for the deposited sand banks is no- where of any depth. Roughly speaking it is divided into 3 main types and a sub type and the sand deposit banks which are a 90% calcareous sea deposit sand with vegetable admixture of approximately 10% or less in most places. Much of the surface of the island is pure coral rock outcrop. All soils are calcareous and nowhere does a clay or real loam appear. A kind of clay or clayish matter is present in much of the soil but this is caused purely by a letching in coral limestone which produced a type of slurry, which if admixed with vegetable matter kept wet, forms a kind of clay soil; but which, if dried, causes a rock like crumbly cake, almost like a sandstone. This slurry may be seen in great