CHAPTER XIII. 



Tlie Extent of the World of Waters and its Wonderful Fauna. Bahama 

 Fishes. Some Eminently Distinguished for their Brilliant Colors, and Others 

 for their Singularity, described. Fish that are Poisonous. Table Fish. The 

 Bahamas Rich in Beautiful Molluslcs. They Harmonize with the other Ex- 

 quisite Forms of Life, and tcith the Brilliant Waters. The Shores Paved with 

 Shells Wonderful in Form and Color. The Condi. 



• ' In the free element beneath us swarm 

 Fishes of every color, form, and kind, — 

 Strimge forms, resplendent colors, kinds unnumbered— 

 Which language cannot paint, and mariner 

 Hath never eleswhere seen." — Montgomeet. 



When we consider that the sea occupies more than two-thirds 

 of the earth's surface ; that its normal temperature is, from 

 the equator to the arctic circle, nearly uniform every wliere, 

 below a few hundred perpendicuhir feet of its surface; that its 

 depths are most profound, being measured by miles; that al- 

 though it is for man's convenience geographically divided, and 

 called by different names, yet that all the so-called oceans are 

 in fact one, and that it abounds throughout tlie whole of its vast 

 extent with animals that arc created and fitted to live in the 

 water as others are upon the land, we cannot fail to see that in 

 all probability its fauna is far more extensive and varied than 

 that of the land, and that man's knowledge concerning it is very 

 meagre, superficial and imperfect. It is quite recently tluit the 

 gigantic cuttle fish has been taken out of the realm of fable and 



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