THE GREAT DEEPS 133 



the Antarctic. The male sea-spiders from 

 the deep sea, like those from shallow seas, 

 carry the bunches of eggs attached to their 

 limbs. It is also interesting to find that some 

 animals, whose seashore representatives lib- 

 erate eggs, bring forth embryos in the Deep 

 Sea. This is probably an adaptation which 

 counteracts the risk of the passive eggs being 

 smothered in ooze. 



RETROSPECT 



Let us now gather together briefly what we 

 have learned, and try to make a mind-picture 

 of the depths of the ocean. 



The average depth is 2j4 miles, but there 

 are " deeps " of over 6 miles, so that the 

 highest mountain in the world, if thrown 

 in, would be far below the surface of the 

 water. 



It is very cold; it is absolutely soundless; 

 it is calm, and quite dark, save for the weird 

 blue-green light radiating from the corals 

 fixed in the mud, or from the luminous spots 

 of the animals slowly moving in and out 

 among these " perpetual light-houses." Star- 

 fishes, sea-urchins, sea-cucumbers, many kinds 



