按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
We shall soon find another sort； an Echinus； and have time to talk over
these most strange （in my eyes） of all living animals。
There are a hundred more things to be talked of here： but we must
defer the examination of them till our return； for it wants an hour yet of
the dead low spring…tide； and ere we go home； we will spend a few
minutes at least on the rocks at Livermead； where awaits us a strong…
backed quarryman； with a strong…backed crowbar； as is to be hoped （for
he snapped one right across there yesterday； falling miserably on his
back into a pool thereby）； and we will verify Mr。 Gosse's observation；
that …
〃When once we have begun to look with curiosity on the strange
things that ordinary people pass over without notice； our wonder is
continually excited by the variety of phase； and often by the uncouthness
of form； under which some of the meaner creatures are presented to us。
And this is very specially the case with the inhabitants of the sea。 We
can scarcely poke or pry for an hour among the rocks； at low…water mark；
or walk； with an observant downcast eye； along the beach after a gale；
without finding some oddly…fashioned； suspicious…looking being； unlike
any form of life that we have seen before。 The dark concealed interior
of the sea becomes thus invested with a fresh mystery； its vast recesses
appear to be stored with all imaginable forms； and we are tempted to
think there must be multitudes of living creatures whose very figure and
structure have never yet been suspected。
〃'O sea！ old sea！ who yet knows half Of thy wonders or thy pride！'〃
GOSSE'S AQUARIUM； pp。 226； 227。
36
… Page 37…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
These words have more than fulfilled themselves since they were
written。 Those Deep…Sea dredgings； of which a detailed account will
be found in Dr。 Wyville Thomson's new and most beautiful book； 〃The
Depths of the Sea；〃 have disclosed； of late years； wonders of the deep
even more strange and more multitudinous than the wonders of the shore。
The time is past when we thought ourselves bound to believe； with
Professor Edward Forbes； that only some hundred fathoms down； the
inhabitants of the sea…bottom 〃become more and more modified； and
fewer and fewer； indicating our approach towards an abyss where life is
either extinguished； or exhibits but a few sparks to mark it's lingering
presence。〃
Neither now need we indulge in another theory which had a certain
grandeur in it； and was not so absurd as it looks at first sight； … namely；
that； as Dr。 Wyville Thomson puts it； picturesquely enough； 〃in going
down the sea water became； under the pressure； gradually heavier and
heavier； and that all the loose things floated at different levels； according
to their specific weight； … skeletons of men； anchors and shot and cannon；
and last of all the broad gold pieces lost in the wreck of many a galleon
off the Spanish Main； the whole forming a kind of 'false bottom' to the
ocean； beneath which there lay all the depth of clear still water； which
was heavier than molten gold。〃
The facts are； first that water； being all but incompressible； is hardly
any heavier； and just as liquid； at the greatest depth； than at the surface；
and that therefore animals can move as freely in it in deep as in shallow
water； and next； that as the fluids inside the body of a sea animal must
be at the same pressure as that of the water outside it； the two pressures
must balance each other； and the body； instead of being crushed in； may
be unconscious that it is living under a weight of two or three miles of
water。 But so it is； as we gather our curiosities at low…tide mark； or
haul the dredge a mile or two out at sea； we may allow our fancy to
range freely out to the westward； and down over the subaqueous cliffs of
the hundred…fathom line； which mark the old shore of the British Isles；
or rather of a time when Britain and Ireland were part of the continent；
through water a mile； and two； and three miles deep； into total darkness；
37
… Page 38…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
and icy cold； and a pressure which； in the open air； would crush any
known living creature to a jelly； and be certain that we shall find the
ocean…floor teeming everywhere with multitudinous life； some of it
strangely like； some strangely unlike； the creatures which we see along
the shore。
Some strangely like。 You may find； for instance； among the sea…
weed； here and there； a little black sea…spider； a Nymphon； who has this
peculiarity； that possessing no body at all to speak of； he carries his
needful stomach in long branches； packed inside his legs。 The
specimens which you will find will probably be half an inch across the
legs。 An almost exactly similar Nymphon has been dredged from the
depths of the Arctic and Antarctic oceans； nearly two feet across。
You may find also a quaint little shrimp； CAPRELLA； clinging by its
hind claws to sea…weed； and waving its gaunt grotesque body to and fro；
while it makes mesmeric passes with its large fore claws； … one of the
most ridiculous of Nature's many ridiculous forms。 Those which you
will find will be some quarter of an inch in length； but in the cold area of
the North Atlantic； their cousins； it is now found； are nearly three inches
long； and perch in like manner； not on sea…weeds； for there are none so
deep； but on branching sponges。
These are but two instances out of many of forms which were
supposed to be peculiar to shallow shores repeating themselves at vast
depths： thus forcing on us strange questions about changes in the
distribution and depth of the ancient seas； and forcing us； also； to
reconsider the old rules by which rocks were distinguished as deep…sea
or shallow…sea deposits according to the fossils found in them。
As for the new forms； and even more important than them； the
ancient forms； supposed to have been long extinct； and only known as
fossils； till they were lately rediscovered alive in the nether darkness； …
for them you must consult Dr。 Wyville Thomson's book； and the notices
of the 〃Challenger's〃 dredgings which appear from time to time in the
columns of 〃Nature；〃 for want of space forbids my speaking of them
here。
But if you have no time to read 〃The Depths of the Sea；〃 go at least
38
… Page 39…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
to the British Museum； or if you be a northern man； to the admirable
public museum at Liverpool； ask to be shown the deep…sea forms； and
there feast your curiosity and your sense of beauty for an hour。 Look at
the Crinoids； or stalked star…fishes； the 〃Lilies of living stone；〃 which
swarmed in the ancient seas； in vast variety； and in such numbers that
whole beds of limestone are composed of their disjointed fragments； but
which have vanished out of our modern seas； we know not why； till； a
few years since； almost the only k