THE OPEN SEA 67 



abundant. (3) On the shore there is abundant 

 food, but there is a keen competition for it, 

 and there is a tendency for many of the nour- 

 ishing particles in the water to slip past and 

 to sink down the inclined plane to the deep 

 waters. But in the open sea there is in most 

 places great abundance of food, and it is ac- 

 cessible to all. So there are three great reasons 

 why pelagic life is easier than littoral life. 

 It may be objected that the open sea is the 

 place of storms, and it is true that there are 

 terrible days when sea and sky seem to meet 

 in a welter of tumultuous water. But storms 

 are more dangerous near shore than in the 

 open sea when there is nothing to knock 

 against, and few of them have a deep grip. 

 Many of the very delicate open-sea animals, 

 like the iridescent and luminescent comb- 

 bearers (Ctenophores) sink into quiet water 

 whenever there is a hint of white-horses. So, 

 in spite of storms, we may say that in the open 

 sea the barque of life sails on an even keel. One 

 of the disastrous effects of storms is seen where 

 one would not at first look for it, namely, 

 among some of the open-sea birds, like gan- 

 nets. The fishes and other creatures on which 

 they feed have taken to deeper levels in the 



