The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-08-02
OUR STORY TELLER,
WONDERS OF THE SEA.
BY PROFESSOR RUDOLPH.
New York weekly.1


We look with amazement at the vari-
Gus products of the SOIL as we behold the
almost infinite variety of vegetable life
on every hand, and we wonder that all
these various productions, so diversified
in form and opposite in chemical char
acter, should yet all spring from the
same soil and thrive in the same atmos-
phere.
A somewhat similar experience comes
to us when we look at the products of the
sea. Here, too, we find almost infinite
diversity of form and numerous oppo-
sites in physical character.
Let us look at some of these denizens
of the deep, and, if I mistake not, we
shall find them we'll worthy of our at
teption. Let us take one highly valued
by us all as a benefcent gift of our
Creator.
THE OYSTER.
The beginning of life of this bivalve
is rather unpromising both for its SEEM
ing insignifcance and the perils that sur
round it. 1t is somewhat in this WISE
During the summer months of this
latitude, when the oyster is in the 'milky
state" and not so edible as at other
times, occurs the spawning season, when
the present oyster sends forth into the
food millions of embryonic oysters, SO
minute as to be at first invisible to the
unaided eye. The minute creatures
float about at random in every direction,
without any controlling influence what
ever from the parent, until those so for
tunate as to escape their numerous foes
Oft To- oh 4 hat 70 al
clean oyster shells, or whatever is at
hand, and once attached they are settled
for life, and must thereafter make the
best of their settlement. One would
almost wish that some men-and shall
we say women also?-in this respect
were like the oyster, so that their evil
influence might be confined to a single
and more limited sphere-for the "busy-
body in other mems matters" and the
gossip have ever been great pests in
society.
When the young oyster "spat" is
about week old it becomes visible to
the unaided eye, and after three months
it is about the size of a finger nail, and
then great numbers are often found
crowded on single shell or pebble, and
as they grow larger are of course crowded
still more, and when they are being cul-
tivated these crowded groups are broken
up and scattered over the bed of the
sound or bay, where they will then attain
to a much larger size and improve in
quality for about five years.
As the oyster is such keeper at home
it cannot go in quest of its food, and
therefore kind Providence has ordered
that the everchanging tidal currents
shall bring the requisite food to it, so
that it has but to open its strong lips and
seize the dainty morsels as they pass.
Thus it is that " His tender mercies are
over all His works." not excepting even
the humble and obscure oyster.
But very interesting question here
presents itself:
WHENCE COME THE SHELLS OF OYSTERS
They do not grow out of the rock or
other substance to which the oyster is
attached, for that is often of entirely
different matter. Whence then come
they? The answer is-the oyster has
the power of secreting, that is, collecting
the material of its shell from the water
To explain more fully. The shell is
composed chiefly of carbonate of lime.
Lime is dissolved in the rivers and the
ocean, just as sugar is in solution in tea,
or as salt is in sea-water Now, as we in
sensibly secrete lime from our food to
make up the bones of our bodies, so the
oyster abstracts lime from the sea to
make up its bones also; for the shells of
all shell-6sh are their bones, placed, I'M
like ours, on the outside of their bodies;
and therefore, all such creatures have
no homes within, as they are unnecessary.
When we remember how widely diff
fused are oysters and many other varie-
ties of shell-fish, and that they all draw
the material for these outside bones from
the water, we see what vast quantity
of solid matter is locked up in the waters
of the globe, held in solution by these
curious stone makers of the sea.
1t Is surely cause for gratitude to
our beneficent Creator that He has not
only given us such an abundant variety
of food from the land, but has also made
the great deep one vast store-house OF
another and entirely different but equally
as delicious class of edibles, and equally
adapted both to our tastes and to our
physical constitution. Verify, "the
earth is full of the goodness of the
Lord"
But there il still more striking proof
Of the great quantity of this calcareou.
substance in sea-water, in the reefs and
islands.
Il has been recently stated that there
ARE now over two hundred such islands
already discovered, and doubtless many
more are yet to be found, especially in
the Southern Pacific Ocean, where the
tiny creature that builds these wonder.
full structures seems best to thrive.
These known coral islands cover an
area Of twenty thousand square miles,
which is little more than one-half of
the great State of Ohio. They some
times furnish the foundation for large
cities, ~ in the case of Charleston, s. O..
and also of great mountains.
Let it be borne in mind that these coral
reefs and islands are composed chiefly
Of the carbonate of lime, as is alsc