Over the Ocean-bed 



the same all helping to light up a world beyond 

 reach of the sun. 



Talk of depths ! We are in them at last, and 

 no mistake. Down down ! Deeper and deeper ! 

 Above our heads are piled three or four miles of 

 water, and the pressure upon our unfortunate 

 bodies is terrific. 



Here creatures of simplest form abound, 

 Protozoa, or First Animals, tiny jelly-like specks, 

 mere living cells, too small by far for us to see, 

 even with the help of animated deep-sea lanterns, 

 unless we have carried with us a powerful micro- 

 scope. But we know them to be there. r The 

 ooze and mud alone, when carefully examined, 

 prove the fact. 



Here are foraminifera, living and dead ; and 

 skeletons of reef-coral, all dead ; and specimens 

 of deep-sea coral, both living and dead ; and 

 remains of bigger creatures innumerable, which 

 have disported themselves in the waters above. 

 Yet not so many of these last as one might have 

 expected, because of the destructive power of 

 sea-water. 



There are also plant-like zoophytes, and disc- 

 shaped jelly-fishes. There are sea-urchins and 

 starfishes. There are sponges in great numbers, 

 wandering young ones and old ones settled down 



181 



