Mar. 1832. 



DISCOLOURED SEA. 



19 



lovvish, or mud-like, water; these strips were some miles long, 

 but only a few yards wide, and they were separated from 

 the surrounding surface by a sinuous yet distinct margin. 

 The colour was caused by little gelatinous balls, about the fifth 

 of an inch in diameter, in which numerous minute spherical 

 ovules were embedded : they were of two distinct kinds, one 

 being of a reddish colour and of a different shape from the 

 other. I cannot form a conjecture as to what two kinds of 

 animals these belonged. Captain Colnett remarks, that this 

 appearance is very common among the Galapagos Islands, 

 and that the direction of the bands indicates that of the 

 currents ; in the described case, however, the line was 

 caused by the wind. The only other appearance which I 

 have to notice, is a thin oily coat on the surface which dis- 

 plays iridescent colours. I saw a considerable tract of the 

 ocean thus covered on the coast of Brazil ; the seamen attri- 

 buted it to the putrefying carcass of some whale, which pro- 

 bably was floating at no great distance. I do not here 

 mention the minute gelatinous particles which are frequently 

 dispersed throughout the water, for they are not sufficiently 

 abundant to create any change of colour. 



There are two circumstances in the above accounts which 

 appear very remarkable : first, how do the various bodies 

 which form the bands with defined edges keep together ? In 

 the case of the prawn-like crabs, their movements were as 

 coinstantaneous as in a regiment of soldiers ; but this can- 

 not happen from any thing like voluntary action with the 

 ovules, or the confervee, nor is it probable among the in- 

 fusoria. 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 long streaks, the froth collected in the eddies, 

 that I must attribute the effect to a similar action either 

 of the currents of the air, or sea. Under this suppo- 

 sition we must believe that the various organized bodies 

 are produced in certain favourable places, and are thence 

 removed by the set of either wind or water. I confess, 



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