3 ANIMAL LIFE UNDER WATER 



Imagine yourself, then, under the water, on 

 the bed of a river. Seen from below, the surface 

 of the water would appear as an extensive 

 mirror, with the river-bed reflected upon it. 

 Immediately ^above the observer the reflecting 

 surface is broken by a circular hole or window. 

 Through the surface of the water, in the area of 

 this " window," the sky and objects immediately 

 overhead have their usual appearance, but in 

 addition surrounding objects above the water 

 level are also seen through the " window " as 

 dwarfed and distorted images, suspended, as it 

 were, in the air above the circumference of the 

 circular hole. 



A ring of iridescent colours separates the 

 "window" from the surrounding reflecting 

 surface. 



The foregoing will be made plain by an 

 examination of the illustrations on the following 

 three plates. 



On the folding plate are two scenes ; the top 

 one represents a view on a barren Highland 

 loch. One arm of this sheet of water has been 

 cut across, and the water and the bed of the loch 

 are seen in section. Imagine your eye to be at 

 the point c ; the line a b represents the diameter 



