JOHNSTON: CAYMAN ISLAND AVIFAUNA


tions are currently on that portion of the island, namely at Georgetown
or West Bay or between the two. (In the early 1970s, however, an
extensive construction "program" was rapidly expanding eastward and
progressively engulfing formerly untouched natural communities.) Ex-
cept along the western "seven-mile beach" a typical coral reef fringes
the island. A honey-combed bluff limestone formation, often with an
intermittent ridge and swale effect, characterizes the central, eastern,
and southern parts of the island, whereas "ironshore" formation is espe-
cially prominent adjacent to the shoreline (Doran 1954). Pockets and
crevices in the underlying rock frequently include a reddish soil formed
by erosion of the original limestone.
 Topographically and geologically, Little Cayman (24 km2) resembles
Grand Cayman (cf. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2), except that relatively few places
on the smaller island are over 4 m in elevation and the highest point is
only 14 m. The few human inhabitants, largely clustered at the south-
west end, have disturbed Little Cayman very little. A recently con-
structed road nearly encircling the island's shoreline forebodes "develop-
ment."
 Cayman Brac (31 km2) differs physiographically much from the
other two islands, chiefly by the presence of an ascending (west to east)
plateau with bluffs that reach 43 m at the island's eastern end. Abutting
both the north and south sides are bluffs (Figs. 3 and 4). Closely asso-
ciated with the existence of the high bluffs is a marked reduction in la-
goons and mangrove swamp forests on Cayman Brac. The human popu-



 1943'








 1940O
 M2 LIMESTONE FOREST SCALE
 El MANGROVE FOREST
 POND IKM
 80005' 8000'
FIGURE 2.-Map of Little Cayman. Legend as in Figure 1.