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！
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。
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； 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 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 known living species was the exquisite and rare
Pentacrinus asteria； from deep water off the Windward Isles of the
West Indies。
Of this you will see a specimen or two both at Liverpool and in the
British Museum； and near them； probably； specimens of the new…old
Crinoids； discovered of late years by Professor Sars； Mr。 Gwyn
Jeffreys； Dr。 Carpenter； Dr。 Wyville Thomson； and the other deep…
sea disciples of the mythic Glaucus； the fisherman； who； enamoured
of the wonders of the sea； plunged into the blue abyss once and for
all； and became himself 〃the blue old man of the sea。〃
Next look at the corals； and Gorgonias； and all the sea…fern tribe
of branching polypidoms； and last； but not least； at the gla