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nature capable of disturbing that equilibrium ; — and that all these fish, &c., have suspended their secretions in 

 order that this state of a perfect aqueous equilibrium and repose throughout the sea, might be attained. 



In this state of things — the waters of the sea being in perfect equilibrium — a single mollusk or coralline, 

 we will suppose, commences his secretions, and abstracts from the sea water, solid matter for his shell. In 

 that act, this animal has destroyed the equilibrium of the whole ocean ; for the specific gravity of that portion 

 of water from which this solid matter has been abstracted is altered. Having lost a portion of its solid con- 

 tents, it has become specifically lighter than it was before ; it must, therefore, give place to the pressure which 

 the heavier water exerts to push it aside and to occupy its place, and it must consequently travel about and 

 mingle with the waters of the other parts of the ocean until its proportion of solid matter be returned to it, 

 and until it attains the exact degree of specific gravity due sea water generally. 



How much solid matter do the whole host of marine plants and animals abstract from sea water daily ? 

 Is it a thousand pounds or a thousand millions of tons? No one can say. But whatever belts weight, it is so 

 much ofthe power of gravity applied to the dynamical forces of the ocean. And thispower is derived from the salts 

 of the sea, through the agency of sea shells and other marine animals, that of themselves scarcely possess the power 

 of locomotion. Yet they have power to put the whole sea in motion, from the equator to the poles, from the 

 surface to the bottom. 



Those powerful and strange equatorial currents which navigators tell us they encounter in the Pacific 

 ocean — to what are they due ? Coming from sources unknown, they are lost in the midst ofthe ocean. Thej-^ 

 appear to originate in the open sea, and in the open sea to terminate. How far may they be due to the de- 

 rangement of equilibrium arising from the change of specific gravity caused by the secretions of the myriads 

 of marine animals that are continually at work in those parts of the ocean .' These abstract from sea water 

 solid matter enough to build continents. 



Thus when we consider the salts of the sea in one point of view, we see the winds and the marine animals 

 operating upon the waters, and in certain parts ofthe ocean deriving from the solid contents ofthe same, those very 

 principles of antagonistic forces which hold the earth in its orbit, and preserve the harmonies of the universe. 



The sea breeze and the sea shell, in performing their appointed oflSces, act in such a way as to give rise 

 to a reciprocating motion in the waters : thus they impart to the ocean dynamical forces for its circulation. 



. The sea breeze plays upon the surface : it converts only fresh water into vapor, and leaves the solid matter 

 behind. The surface water thus becomes specifically heavier, and sinks. On the other hand, the little marine 

 architect below, as he works upon his coral edifice at the bottom, abstracts from the water there a portion of 

 its solid contents ; it, therefore, becomes specifically lighter, and up it goes ascending to the top with increased ' 

 velocity, to take the place of the descending column, which by the action of the winds has been sent down 

 loaded with fresh food and materials for the busy little mason in. the depths below. 



Seeing then that the inhabitants of the sea with their powers of secretion are competent to exercise at 

 least some degree of influence in disturbing equilibrium : are not these creatures entitled to be regarded as agents 

 which have their offices to perform in the system of oceanic circulation ? It is immaterial how "reat or how 



