THE LAND OF THE DANCING CRANE. 15 



they pushed out, Harry said, looking down 

 through the clear water : 



" The bottom of the sea is as beautiful as a 

 garden." 



" Yes," rejoined the doctor ; " the corals, fans, 

 plumes, and sea- weeds are the plants ; the Gulf 

 Stream moves through their branches as wind 

 plays through the trees on land ; and as land 

 plants absorb the excess of carbonic gas, these 

 marine forms secrete the lime salts, rejecting the 

 soluble salts of sodium and other substances 

 that are not necessary for them. The land 

 plants purify the air so that we can breathe it, 

 and the anirnal-s;ard ens do a similar work in the 

 ocean, purifying the sea-water, keeping down 

 the excess of salts that would be unwholesome 

 for the fishes and other animals." 



" And how about the animal life, doctor ? " 

 inquired Dick. 



" The likeness holds good," replied the doc- 

 tor, " for there are many curious similarities. 

 The seals, manatees, and whales are the cows of 

 the sea ; the sharks are the eagles ; the crabs are 

 the insects ; the bird-of-paradise finds a worthy 



