84 



Marvels of the Universe 



Pholo If] 



The Sea Dragons are related to tSe Sea 



Sarin e AV/i/. 



SEA DRAGON. 



Horses. Frills and lobes of skin from various parts of ifie body look like sea-weeds, 

 and give '.'. e fish a ver,v \veird app arance. 



ful tail is coiled up like a watch-spring to aid in keeping the body upright when swimming. To 

 this new use of the tail we may ascribe the loss of the web, or " fim," which forms the characteristic 

 termination to the tails of all other fish ; and it is easier to see how this end of the body got its shape 

 than to imagine the causes which brought about the striking change in the position of the head, 

 which is now bent at right angles to the long axis of the body. Partly on this account, partly from 

 the shape of the head itself, the horse-like aspect of the fore-part of the body is due. 



This fanciful likeness to a horse can be of no service to this fish, and it is not clear, exactlj', what 

 advantage is derived from this strange shape. Among weeds, however, the body looks like nothing 

 in particular, and certainly does not suggest fish. Probabty, therefore, potential enemies are put 

 off the scent and evaded just on account of the creature's nondescript character. 



The " Sea-dragon " stands in another category. A very slight examination of its general shape 

 will be sufficient to show that it must be a kind of " Sea-horse," but one strangely transformed 

 by extravagant trappings. These are donned, however, as no mere ornaments, but as very material 

 aids in lessening the struggle for existence. For these same trappings are portions of its own skin, 

 loose and flowing, and cut, so to speak, so as to look like fronds of the sea-weed amid which this strange 

 creature lives. So disguised its personality- is lost, so that the ravening wolves of the sea may pass 

 it a dozen times a day and yet, save bj' the merest accident, they would never discover that they 

 were passing not sea-weed, but flesh and blood, the object of their search ! Naturally, of course, 

 the coloration of this odd-looking body matches its surroundings not less perfectly than its 

 shape. 



Though the powers of locomotion of these fishes are extremely limited, yet, strange to say, they 

 have contrived to spread themselves practically all o\'er the world : as may be gathered from the 

 fact that the Pipe-fish and Sea-horse extend their range into our own seas, while to find the 



