CHAPTER VI. 

 DENIZENS OF THE DEEP. 



All those who have made a study of the denizens 

 of the deep have been struck with the indescribable 

 diversity and beauty of ocean life. The innumer- 

 able specimens that adorn our museums afford some 

 idea, however limited in range, of the colour, form, 

 size, and variety of the creatures that exist in the sea, 

 but hitherto no one has been in a position to study 

 oceanic life in its actual environment, to observe the 

 different creatures seeking for their food, or to watch 

 them fighting their grim battles below the surface of 

 the water 



It is almost impossible to imagine the varieties 

 of form and colour that exist. The brilliant hues 

 which we associate with equatorial bird life seem to 

 have been transmitted to the West India fishes. Here 

 are a few of the many variegated colours : sky blue, 

 deep indigo blue, yellow, blue and black bars, scarlet 

 and crimson, red. plain, dull, and drab colours, dark 

 hued and almost black stripes, recalling the zebra's 

 coat, zig-zag bars and stripes, and spots of all shades. 

 In fact, it is practically impossible to think of any 

 colour or any combination of colours that are not to 



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