DEEP-SEA EXF1,(>1{ATI()N. KU 



by j>liosj)horoscont animals, \vc ini<^ht expect to liiul those 

 creatures blanched or generally white. This is true of many 

 of them, but others of all groups, are more or less brilliantly 

 colored. From disuse in some forms, the eyes have become 

 abortive or entirely lost ; others have very large and delicate 

 eyes, suitable lor .seeing by a very small amount of light ; 

 yet still others have eyes of about the <haracter normal in 

 the groups to which they belong. The extreme quiet and 

 uniformity of the environment at the sea-bed is favoraldo 

 to the development of delicate markings, and details of 

 sculpture in the hard parts of shells, etc., and the abyssal 

 animals are notable for their extreme grace and beauty in 

 this particular, and singularly enough, also in many species 

 for the remarkable elegance of their pearly lustre. With 

 no struggle for existence, a wonderful range of variation 

 developes, unchecked by natural selection, and it is hard to 

 say in certain groups what is a species. 



Sea-weeds do not grow at great depths, hence these an- 

 imals are all carnivorous. At first sight it would seem as if 

 they would destroy one anotlier, but it must be remembered 

 that even in the o[)en ocean there is a constant rain of an- 

 imal and vegetable matter slowly falling from the surface 

 toward the bottom. Mr. Moseley judges from experiment 

 that small marine animals {salpa) fall at the rate of about a 

 mile in two days, while the saltness of the water prevents 

 rapid decay. I have found grass roots, land and fresh water 

 shells in dredgings from 800 fathoms. It is still a matter of 

 some doubt whether certain little shells belonging to the 

 Foram in if era and found in incalculable numbers on the sea- 

 bed (which in many cases is made up of their remains) 

 actually ever live at the bottom, or wliether they, too, are 

 derived from tlie vicinity of the surface and sink oidy when 

 dead or dying. 



Hut I have already trespassed too long on your good 

 nature, and will conclu<le this discourse by referring those 

 who would pursue the subject further to the authorities 

 previously mentioned, from wiiom I have derived much as- 



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