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XIv.] ALG. | 209 
effects the ocean would be uninhabitable. No living 
thing could exist within its bounds, and, instead of 
being the highway of the world’s commerce, it would 
become unnavigable—in fact, it would be one gigantic 
cess-pool, the receptacle of the world’s sewage. 
Instead of the breezes from its bosom bringing the 
health-giving iodine and ozone to mankind, it would 
poison the whole atmosphere with its foetid emana- 
tions; and all along the coasts there would be deso- 
lation and death for miles. Think, then, of the 
importance of this tribe of plants, lowly as are their 
position in the botanists’ classification. Even the 
minute conferve and diatoms of our ponds and 
streams are of the utmost importance in purifying 
the waters and sustaining the great numbers of 
animals that subsist upon decaying substances. 
Though the lowliest of all forms of life, they are, 
nevertheless, indispensable to the higher forms; 
and for this reason alone they merit some attention 
from us who stand at the other end of the scale 
of organisation. 
KS 
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ZK KREIS 
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Fic. 156.—Volvox globator. 
