32 THE HAUNTS OF LIFE 



Church, has pictured three great chapters in 

 the history of plant-life. 



(I.) After the earth had greatly cooled 

 down, the condensation of the water vapour 

 formed a great sea covering the whole surface 

 of the earth. In this sea there lived minute 

 single-celled or bodiless green plants, each 

 sufficient unto itself. Some of these Plankton 

 plants were the ancestors of those which now 

 abound near the surface of the Open Sea. 



(II.) By and by the buckling of the sea- 

 covered earth's crust brought part of it within 

 reach of the light, and supplied an illumined 

 sea-floor on which plants could fix themselves 

 and grow big. This was the beginning of the 

 shore vegetation, the beginning of a sub- 

 stratum, the beginning of what we ordinarily 

 call sea-weeds. And as they were fixed crea- 

 tures, it was necessary for them to show, not 

 only means of self-preservation, but means of 

 dispersal, ways of continuing their kind. 

 Some of the free-swimming plants that settled 

 down grew long threads, others spread out 

 into fronds, others forked and branched like 

 the most beautiful lace. Ages passed, and 

 there was a great race of seaweeds. Some of 

 those now living are a hundred feet long. 



