ANIMALS OF NO 

 IMPORTANCE. 



i. 



THE NATURALIST AT SEA. 



TT is the opinion of most people that during the voyage to 

 and fro between England and India but little opportunity 

 of pursuing his favourite study presents itself to the natural- 

 ist. This is, in a sense, true. For when we consider the 

 extent to which the ocean teems with animal life, when we 

 reflect that every wave that breaks against the ship's side 

 contains hundreds of living organisms, we cannot but 

 wonder that we, from the deck of the ship, do not see more 

 of the inhabitants of the sea. A little consideration, how- 

 ever, will clear up the mystery. Animals that live in the 

 ocean fall into two classes deep-sea creatures and 

 organisms which dwell near the surface. 



The former class inhabit the cold waters of the lowest 

 depths where the pressure is enormous, and where eternal 

 darkness prevails. These animals never come to the sur- 

 face, so that the ordinary traveller cannot hope to see 

 any of them. 



As regards the fauna of the surface, the naturalist is more 

 fortunate. But here again several causes militate against 

 him. There are two classes of animals which live near the 

 surface ; those creatures which are powerful swimmers and 

 are able to travel whither they will these are sometimes 



