DRIFTING LIFE iii 



in his Voyage of a Naturalist noted such discolouration, and 

 mentions passing through two patches ot reddish-coloured 

 water, " one of which must have extended over several 

 square miles." " What incalculable numbers of these 

 microscopical animals ! " he exclaims. " The colour of the 

 water, as seen at some distance, was like that of a river 

 which has flowed through a red clay district ; but under the 

 shade of the vessel's side it was quite as dark as chocolate. 

 The line where the red and blue water joined was distinctly 

 defined." 



" Stinking water " is another expression used by fisher- 

 men, and in this case also a characteristic odour is given to 

 the sea by the presence of hordes of certain organisms. 



Many of these small drifting creatures, in fact almost all, 

 are capable of emitting a phosphorescent light. It is these 

 that make the sea sparkle with little glowing points of fire 

 when we dip our oars into the water on a dark night. 

 Occasionally, some phosphorescing animals will swarm 

 together in such countless numbers that on calm still nights 

 the whole sea surface seems to glow with a pale cold light. 



Darwin again describes such a sight in picturesque terms. 

 He says, " While sailing a little south of the Plata on one 

 very dark night, the sea presented a wonderful and most 

 beautiful spectacle. There was a fresh breeze, and every 

 part of the surface, which during the day is seen as foam, 

 now glowed with a pale light. The vessel drove before 

 her bows two billows of liquid phosphorus, and in her wake 

 she was followed by a milky train. As far as the eye reached 

 the crest of every wave was bright, and the sky above the 

 horizon, from the reflected flare of these livid flames, was 

 not so utterly obscure as over the vault of the heavens." 



Nearly fifty years ago the word " plankton "* was used 

 by a German professor to embrace all this drifting hfe, 

 ♦ (Gk. ■n'Xayros, wandering). 



