THE GREAT DEEPS 113 



from place to place. This is ooze. One kind 

 consists mainly of the beautiful lime-shells of 

 certain types of chalk-forming animals or 

 Foraminifera (Globigerinids) which live on 

 the surface of the sea. When these animals 

 are killed the shells sink to form Globigerina 

 deposit, which is very abundant on some parts 

 of the floor of the Atlantic. Similarly there 

 is Radiolarian ooze, consisting chiefly of the 

 beautiful flint-shells belonging to another set 

 of pelagic animals. Pteropod ooze consists 

 mainly of the remains of the delicate shells 

 of certain "sea-butterflies," and Diatom ooze 

 consists mainly of the siliceous shells of these 

 very simple pelagic plants. Then there is 

 what is called " Red Clay," though it is 

 neither red nor clay, a fine powdery stuff 

 made by the final disintegration of mineral 

 materials all sorts of things reduced to their 

 lowest terms. In a general way we must think 

 of the ooze as due to the settling down of " the 

 dust of the sea." In its softer forms it has 

 been described as "like butter in summer." 

 If there were rapid currents the ooze would 

 be swept about and make life impossible, but 

 it is well suited for a world of calm. When 

 we think of the ooze we can readily under- 



