AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. .Jl:;:> 



to and fro by means of the Arctic current, and it follows the course of 

 the great stream of ice which produces the cold in Labrador and the 

 cold generally throughout the western world." That we are to under- 

 stand to be so? A. No; instead of the word "deserted,'' read "deserts." 

 There is no sense in the word "deserted" in that place. You are com- 

 paring an imaginary thing with the actual. 



Q. They are always deserts? A. Comparatively. 



Q. Compared with the northern abundance, &c. ; is that true of cod 

 as well as other fish? A. No; the reference is more particularly to 

 animalcule and diatoms, which form the original source of food. 



Q. You speak of food then, and not of fish ? A. Of food. 



Q. "Appears to be perfectly thick." Now, do you mean the ther- 

 mometer in the water or in the air ? A. In the water. 



Q. Do you think that the temperature becoming cold affects the fish, or 

 that the fish disappearing affects the temperature of the sea? Do you 

 really think the life is so great as to affect the general temperature of the 

 sea ? A. Yes ; no doubt of it. That, you observe, is on the authority 

 of Dr. Brown. I mentioned at the time I was giving that evidence 

 that I had the extract here. 



Q. It is not quoted by you ? A. No. I mentioned it at the time. 



Q. Are they warm-blooded or cold-blooded animals? A. Cold blooded 

 animals, and the vegetable diatoms. 



Q. Does it cause the thermometer to rise or fall ? A. To rise. They 

 approach the surface, and when they disappear the temperature of the 

 sea acquires its normal condition. 



Q. Can you account in any way for cold-blooded animals causing the 

 thermometer which is sunk in the sea to rise ? A. Certainly. In the 

 first place will you allow me to ask you a question ? What do you mean 

 by a cold-blooded animal ? 



Q. What did you mean when you answered my question ? A. I 

 didn't speak of cold-blooded animals. There is no such thing as a cold- 

 blooded animal. 



Q. There are such things as warm-blooded animals? A. Yes. 



Q. You said these animals were cold-blooded ? A. I said so merely 

 because you said it. It is a popular expression. I will describe what 

 is popularly meant by a cold-blooded animal, if you like. 



Q. But you must have had something in your mind. It must have 

 been a very fine distinction to answer my question as you did and then 

 say such a thing does not exist? A. A cold-blooded animal is 



Q. I would rather have you state if you please what is the nature of 

 this animal that enables it to raise the thermometer ? A. I can tell you in 

 two minutes if you will let me tell you what a cold-blooded animal is. 

 The temperature of the blood of most fishes varies from two to four de- 

 grees above that of the medium in which they live. But there is a vari- 

 ety of animals whose temperature is much higher than that, and they 

 are called warm-blooded animals. The whale, for instance, is warm- 

 blooded. All those fish breathe in the very same way we do, only they 

 take in less oxygen and somewhat less fuel, so to speak. These minute 

 creatures that I have described, or rather which Dr. Brown described, 

 as raising the temperature of the sea, generate an amount of heat by 

 the decomposition of the carbonic acid gas. They are chiefly diatoms n 

 vegetable form. 



Q. I am not a bit of a chemist, but pray tell me whero does the car- 

 bonic acid gas come from ? A. From the sea water. All sea water 

 contains carbonic acid. 



