Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-04-12

Numbers. The fields and forests Of
our dry land" says Darwin, "sppesr
sterile and empty, if we compare them
with those of the sea-"
About one-fourth of the Greenland
sea, comprising more than twenty
thousand square miles, is of . deep
olive green hue.
This coloring is produced by ANIMAL
cules.
Of the coast of Chile, at q distance
of fifty miles from the shore, Darwin,
in the ship Beagle, passed through wide
bands of turbid water-a single tract
comprising an area of several square
miles. At distance it appeared red;
under the shadow of the ship, choc-
olate color. Upon close inspection the
water assumed a pale red tint, and
when viewed by the microscope was
found crowded with animalcules of an
oval shape. They were seen darting
about in all directions and exploding
their bodies, bursting to pieces in few
seconds after their rapid motions had
ceased.
DR.. Popping saw near Cape Pila-
res stratum Of red water, twenty-four
miles long and seven broad. From the
masthead it appeared dark red, but as
the ship advanced it changed into bril-
liant purple, while a rosy tint illumi-
mated the track of the keel.
In the Indian Sea the water is phos-
phorescent with vast immeasurable mas
ses of animalcules.
The waters on the Line are living
masses of animal life, much more glo-
riously colored than flowers. Some OF
these armies of atomic shell fish (fora.
minyera) march every year from the
southern to the northern world, along
the American coasts, transported by
the regular currents which flow from
Cape Horn to the Floridas, accomplish
ing o voyage of 5000 leagues.
But it is impossible to give any ade.
quate conception of the numbers OF
these little animals The rocks and
mud of the ocean, even at the depth oi
600 feet, are composed almost wholly
of animal life.
These fish live in vast solid shoals,
which look like small continents.
So solid are these masses that in some
narrow seas boat can hardly move
among them.
A shoal of herrings cannot be num-
bered.
On one occasion, says Michelet, O
fisherman near Havre found 800, 900 in
his nets; and in Scotland 1900 bar.
rels were taken in one night.
At some two or three fathoms depth
the water is completely discolored by
the incredible abundance of the her.
ring spawn, and at sunrise, as far as the
eye can reach, you may see the water
whitened with the marvellous abundance
of the thick, fat, viscous pillows in
which life is fermenting into new life
Each herring has from forty to seventy
thousand eggs.
TIE COD.
What We have seen of the fecundity
of the herring is mere nothing when
compared to the fecundity Of the cod
which not seldom has 9 900 900 of eggs.
Unchecked the cod would soon solidify
the ocean.
THE STURGEON.
This devourer of the cod is the great
equalizer, and immensely productive,
producing l 500, 900 eggs.
But the subject becomes unmanagea-
bic and we must be content with this
passing glimpse of the ocean life. These
facts illustrate the assertion of Michelet;
"The one great law Of the sea, the one
great work of the seq, is to increase
and multiply"
CUTTING Tools OF CoPpER.-It has
been doubted by many that the copper
tools OF the ancients really possessed
the density and cutting power usually
ascribed to them. Sir Gardiner Viii
kinson, however, remarks that some
of the hronza danoara found b,. him T.,