220 THE OCEAN. 



"Look, how the sea-plants trembling float, 

 All like a mermaid's locks, 

 Waving in thread of ruby red, 

 Over those nether rocks ! 



"Heaving and sinking, soft and fair, 

 Here hyacinth — there green, — 

 With many a stem of golden growth, 

 And starry flowers between. 



** But away ! away ! to upper day ! 

 For monstrous shapes are here ; 

 Monsters of dark and wallowing bulk, 

 And horny eyeballs drear : 



"The tusked mouth and the spiny fin, 

 Speckled and warted back, 

 The glittering swift and flabby slow, 

 Ramp through this deep sea track. 



" Away ! away ! to upper day ! 



To glance o'er the breezy brine, 

 And see the nautilus gladly sail, 

 The flying-fish leap and shine !" 



While pursuing our pleasant course amidst these 

 sandy keys, we may often observe the Green Turtle 

 {Chehnia mydas) swimming or floating at the sur- 

 face. In general it "is difficult to approach them 

 within less than a few yards, as they are very wary, 

 and dive with great rapidity. The shoals and reefs 

 surrounding the islands, where the sun penetrates 

 and warms the water, are favourite resorts of these 

 marine Reptilia; and here, too, grow in abundance 

 the sea-plants (Zostera, &c.) on which they feed. 

 At night, the females land on the low sandy beaches, 

 and after examining the place with great caution 

 and circumspection, lay their eggs in holes, which 

 they scoop out with their fin-like feet. The work 



