56 On the Red Snow of the Arctic Ices. 



« July 10th, latitude 71° 15', logitude \T 20' W.—In this 

 day's sailing we were chiefly in water of a turbid-green colour. 

 Passed several insulated spots, streaks, and patches of reddish- 

 brown water, similar to what I observed on the coast of Iceland 

 last year *. Some of the water being collected, I put a drop 

 under the microscope, for the purpose of ascertaining the nature 

 of the colouring matter, though I had no doubt, from former 

 observations, that it was animal. On examination, it proved to 

 be animalcules, principally of one kind, alive, and in active mo- 

 tion. In form they resembled the thimble used by ladies in 

 sewing, being paraboloidal. The length of the animalcule 

 was about ^jV^th of an inch, as ascertained by a micrometer 

 glass, under a powerful microscope, and the diameter about 

 yj^ijth of an inch. The motion of some was direct, but un- 

 steady ; and others moved in a small circle, with one extremity of 

 the animalcule in the centre. The general speed of the pro- 

 gressive animalcules was ^to*^^ ^^ ^" i^^^ ^^ ^ second, or an 

 inch in three minutes and a-half. The number in a single di^op 

 of water was calculated, by the aid of the micrometer glass, at 

 12,960, which was probably rather below the truth. Yet, nu- 

 merous as they were, they had ample room. Their finny fringes, 

 being transparent, could not be discovered. When a drop of 

 the water was examined in the sun, it was most brilliantly speck- 

 led with the animalcules; some became luminous and iridescent, 

 like the fire-fly. All were in rapid motion, being disturbed or 

 inconvenienced, perhaps, by the strong action of the sun's rays 

 profusely reflected from the mirror. "*' 



Unfortunately no ice was observed immediately within the 

 action of this peculiar water, to enable me to prove its eflects in 

 giving colour to the surface. But there can be no doubt, 

 where the animalcules had the property of producing a turbid 

 reddish-brown appearance in the sea, that a corresponding ef- 

 fect would have been produced on the ice, against which it was 

 dashed. 



Besides these two peculiar colours of sea-water, I have also 

 observed brown and yellowish-green ; the latter having the ap- 

 pearance of an admixture with flowers of sulphur or mustard ; 



• Described in the " Journal of a Voyage to Greenland in 1822," p. 363. 



