DISC 01. URED SEA 



CIIAT. I 



There are two circumstances in tlie above accounts which 

 appear remarkable : first, how do the various bocHes which form 

 the bands with defined edges keep together? In the case of 

 the prawn-like crabs, their moxcments were as coinstantaneous 

 as in a regiment of soldiers ; but this cannot happen from any- 

 thing" like \oluntary action with the o\-ules, or the confervae, 

 nor is it probable among the infusoria. Secondly, what causes 

 the length and narrowness of the bands ? The appearance so 

 much resembles that which may be seen in every torrent, where 

 the stream uncoils into lc)ng streaks the froth collected in the 

 eddies, that I must attribute the effect to a similar action either 

 (jf the currents of the air or sea. Under this supposition we 

 must beliex'c that the \arious organised bodies are produced in 

 certain favourable places, and arc thence removed by the set of 

 cither wind or water. I confess, however, there is a very great 

 difficulty in imagining any one spot to be the birthplace of the 

 millions of millions of animalcula and conferva; : for whence come 

 the germs at such points ? — the parent bodies having been distri- 

 buted b\' the winds and waves over the immense ocean. But 

 on no other h}'pothcsis can I understand their linear grouping. 

 I may add that Scoresby remarks that green water abounding 

 with pelagic animals is invariably found in a certain part of the 

 Arctic Sea. 



C.\rAM.\K.\N (U-VIU.a). 



