The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-07-19
TIE WONDERS OF THE SEA.
Viewing Fish from Under tho Occnn-Am'
phlblons Life ut tho Isle Of Wight.


phIbIour Life ut tho f,ic Of Wight.
After several days energetic sight
seeing in very hot weather, says CORE
spondeut Of the Graphic, we packed our
valises and stole away to tho Isle Of
Wight, by why OF Brighton, where we
stopped over for three hours to SEQ the
aquarium. You descend series Of
elegant terraces, and find yourself ap-
parently at tho bottom Of the sea. Cool,
arched, grotto-like halls extend in every
direction, ending in fernerics bright
with falling wnter, whilc along the sides
OF the long arcadcs. only crystal wall
separates you from tho watery homes of
fishes, eels, and all the innumerable
finny and funny inhabitants Of tho deep.
You look up through tho green water as
though you were fish yourself, and
know for the first time how it feels to be
Mt tho bottom Of tho sea. Great, solemn,
aldermanic.looking cod-whiting swim
up and stare into your very eyes enor-
nous conger oelswrithe playfully around
your head; idiotic-looking dogfish lie
piled on ono another, and blink placidly
into your face like so many sheep, while
the skates md tho stingrays are iiattened
ont in painting ilaccidity upon tho gravel
at tho bottom. Little silver herring and
golden.hued young salmon drift about
like clouds Lit by tho moon, and on all
sides, against the rocks TINT vary the
surface Of tho tanks, wave tho exquisite
fringes OF tho sea-anemones. Here,
above oil, is the supreme beauty OF the
water.world.
Every variety Of fringe and fower-cup
is mimicked here III hues that fairly rival
tho roses Of tho garden. Purest white,
soft, creamy ycllows, rich salmon color,
every shade OF tender rose and glowing
red and royal purple and vivid green
spring from these rocks living flower,
with petals as delicate MS they arc dead
ly. For these beautiful fringcs and
ethereal looking bubbles Of color are so
many murderous arms outstrctchcd for
food. As We watch them swaying gently
in the current, poor littlo transparent
shrimp comes padding swiftly by. He
touches rose-colored petal, it flashes
round him, ho is sucked into tho gorge
ous heart of the flower, and it closes con-
tcntedly over his vanished form. They
knew their danger generally, these poor
little creatures, and did they touch ever
so lightly the tip of floating fringe,
would spring away from it with m cleo
tricalrecoil. It's very interesting thing
to spend q few hours ut the bottom OF
the sea to SEQ tho cight.armed die,pre
hanging from tho rocks, or tho green
turtle sleeping peacefully just below the
surface OF tho water to watch tho her
nit crabs scuttling busily about, each in
his stolen shell; and to study the man.
ners OF tho tip-tooing crayfsh and tho
unboiled lobster. There arc curious
fresh water fish hero, too, in lArge globes.
Among others the Mexican azotis, most
melancholy Of fish, ,lrappcd in inky
hues, black rs hcarso and feathers,
with plumy tufts, waving all about their
disconsolate heads. Then there arc tho
telescope fish from China, swollen and
distorted golden carp, with their eyes so
gogglc that thoy really look like spy
glnSseS.