;J0 FLOATING SEAWEEDS. 



CHAP. IV. Atlantic. The largest occurs a little to the west of the 

 FicuiTof meridian of Fayal, one of the Azores, between 25° and 

 fcc.1 weed. 3(30 Qf latitude. The temperature of the ocean there is 

 between G0-8° and 68° ; and the north-west winds, 

 which blow sometimes with impetuosity, drive floating 

 islands of those weeds into low latitudes, as far as the 

 parallels of 24^ and even 20°. Vessels returning to 

 Europe from ]Monte Video, or the Cape of Good Hope, 

 pass througli this marine meadow, which the Spanish 

 pilots consider as lying half-way between the West 

 Indies and the Canaries. The other section is not so 

 well known, and occupies a smaller space between lat. 

 22° and 2G° of N., two hundred and seventy-six miles 

 eastward of the Bahama Islands. 

 r ouing Although a species of seaweed, the Laminaria py- 



rifera of Lamouroux, has been observed with stems 850 

 feet in length, and although the growth of these plants 

 is exceedingly rapid, it is yet certain that in those seas 

 the fuci are not fixed to the bottom, but float in de- 

 tached parcels at the surface. In this state vegetation, 

 it is obvious, cannot continue longer than in the branch 

 of a tree separated from the trunk ; and it may there- 

 fore be supposed, that floating masses of these weeds 

 occurring for ages in the same position owe their origin 

 to submarine rocks, which continually supply what has 

 been carried ott" by the equinoctial currents. But the 

 causes by which tliese ])lants are detached are not yet 

 sufficiently known, although the author just named has 

 shown that fuci in general separate with great facility 

 after the period of fructification. 

 FiylDg-fisli. Beyond 22^ of latitude they found the surfoce of the 

 sea covered with flying-fish (Exocetus volitaiis), which 

 sprung into the air to a height of twelve, fifteen, and 

 even eighteen feet, and sometimes fell on the deck. 

 The great size of the swimming-bladder in these ani- 

 mals, being more than one-half of their body, as well as 

 that of the j)ectoral fins, enaldc them to traverse in the 

 air a space of twenty-four feet horizontal distance before 

 falling again into the water. They are incessantly 



