THE WORLD'S LUMBER ROOM. 



the water far away from the seaweeds on the coast. 



(Fig. 35-) 



In addition to the diatoms, however, the inhabitants 

 of the ocean may feed on the great masses of floating 

 weed, such as the Sargasso, or Gulf weed, which occurs 

 in some parts of the Atlantic over a space of 3,000,000 

 square miles, in olive or golden patches of various 

 sizes, from a few feet to several 

 acres, with lanes of dark blue 

 water between. There is a simi- 

 lar, but smaller mass of weed in 

 the North Pacific ; and such mul- 

 titudes of fishes, mollusks, crus- 

 taceans, zoophytes, &c., dwell in 

 and feed on these ocean prairies, 

 that the destruction of one of them 

 would probably occasion greater 

 loss of life than the destruction of 

 a large forest on land. The 



Giant Kelp, which grows at Tierra del Fuego to the 

 length of 360 feet, is also sometimes met with in a floating 

 condition.* 



Seaweeds differ from land plants in this, that they have 

 no true roots, and the tough, leathery fibre or disk which 

 takes the place of these, only clasps and does not penetrate 

 the rocks, from which, therefore, it derives no nourishment. 

 All their food comes from the sea, and much is supplied to 

 them by the rivers. 



Fig. 35. PTEROPOD OR WING 



FOOTED MOLLUSK. 



* Lowly algae also abound, and, indeed, the surface water of the open 

 ocean is full of vegetable life. 



