SHALLOW-WATER FAUNA. 



25 



riant, and on the Coral reefs of the Tropical 

 seas it is remarkably poor. 



Turning our attention for the present to the 

 Temperate regions, let us consider the influence 

 that the Sea- weeds have upon the animals of the 

 shallow waters. In the first place we find that 

 they afford shelter and 

 support for a large num- 

 ber of animals which could 

 without them. In 



hardly live 

 the roots 

 found little Crabs 

 which occur no- 

 clinging to the long 

 branches are many forms 

 anemones, Zoophytes, 

 limpet - like Molluscs, 

 and other forms of animal 

 life. The great forests of 

 weeds are also the haunts 

 of many queer Fish, 

 Prawns, Crabs, and Sea- slugs, 

 which hunt their prey or 

 hide from their enemies amidst 

 the shelter of the stems and 

 branches. 



Now many of these animals, 

 which together make up the 

 Fauna of the Sea-weed region, 

 in the course of the ages of 

 only the colours of the Algse 



of the weeds may be 

 and Molluscs, 

 where else ; and 

 waving 

 of Sea- 

 flattened 

 Ascidians, 



have assumed, 

 evolution, not 

 on which they 



live, but in some cases even forms which render 

 them at first sight more like plants than animals. 

 The slender Pipe-fish, for example, which is not 



