The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-12-04
A Chapter Of Subteroceanic Won.
ders.


ders.
/ Forest and Stream has u communi.
cation from Com. Beardslee, comman
ding the steamer Blue Light, assisted
by Prof. Verrill. Of Yale College.
from which we copy the followin 8
passages
Cape God is a dividing line upon
our coast. South of it one class of
creatures are found in profusion, but
the quohog clam the Cuiista connera)
certain star-fishes aud worms, and the
oyster, have not existed, or, having
/ existed, have become extinct north OF
this line. except in very few locali
ties. \ live Catistd conrerd Ia species
of clam brought up 10 Cssco bay, up
set at once the opinion held till then
that 1t was extinct so far north. Quo.
hog shell in plenty we find in ancient
Indian shell mounds, which dot ev-
cry slope Of the island, showing that
once they existed in plenty. Now but
one little bay-a mere cove at the head
Of Casco bay furnishes this creature,
which, south Of Cape Cod, is but the
common plentiful clam. Oyster shells.
of size to which the saddle rock is
but pigmy, lie thickly planted six
feet below the present bottom Of Port.
land harbor. They, too, however, are
extinct. In that great convulsion of
nature that was so sweeping in its
effects, not living oyster was left to
fulfil a mission 1t seems sad mis-
take up here, where oysters could be
eaten every day in the year, aud the
nightly blanket renders superilnous
the mosquito bar. But the ocean is
still filled, and with fruits and plants,
masons and well diggers, robbers aud
cannibals, aud each bearing in a great
er or less degree u resemblance, either
in appearance or habits, to the crea-
ture or objects above water that it is
named for. Way down in the dark
depths animal life utilizss every inch
Of ground. and no square foot above
the surface can equal in number and
variety of forms the same space at the
bottom of the sea. Strange, odd, hor-
rib.e creatures, with none or many
eyes, with speckIed bodies, and long,
Shiny, cling ing arms, changing AT
thAir ftr, ut,I will
like the geBii of the Arabian Tales,
from mere starting point extend
L emselves almost indefinitely in size
Beautiful creatures, TOO. as the anemo-
nies aud dahtias, at first frightened
aud iarred as we see them in the
dredge, mere masses Of pink or purple
flesh, covered with tough skin. left
To themselves in "A cool, dark place
| they protrude from an opening in
their bodies clusters Of gay colored
and gracefully moving antend;e,
which in some branch like coral, in
others bear close resemblance to the
stamens and petals OF flowers. Down
here the animal kingdom takes from
the floral tribe the duty of embellish
ing. Living, breathing, food-devour-
ing flowers. and the kitchen garden
too, and orchard, are not unrepresent-
ed. Sea cucumbers, sea peaches, sea
pears and apples, are found in plenty,
the former SO close simile of the
fruit, both in form and color, that ii
could be mistaken, the one for the
other.
The flowers, though beautiful as
they are, are but briganJs; those
graceful petals wave but to entice and
grasp victim, which, when seized,
is pressed close to its mouth, and
then, even if larger than its captor. is
swallowed whole. The process of
swallowing whole morsel larger
than the swallower, is rather an unus-
ual proceeding among animals, and of
course an unusual method has TO be
adopted. The anemonie does it this
way: holding tightly its prey, il
AtS stouloCil
its mouth, and turning il inside out,
envelopes its dinner, and then it lies
quietly awaiting death aud digestion.
1t rejects such portions as are not
suitable, and slows away its stomach
for future use. What "A blessing some
men would esteem this faculty to be-
The sea cucumber Ia another Gu rious
creature: first found it is a small
compact "gherkin - left to itself, il
will swell and develop to an immense
cucumber, quite large enough to make
boat Of, if the sea urchins had the
same habits as did those urchins of
whom ! was once one.
Starfish we find in great numbers
and varieties; different according to
the character of the bottom. The
common "five fingered jack is found
every where, and at each haul Of the
dredge, whether from mud or rocks,
"asterias uuigdris' is the first object
called out 10 the note taker.