St. Landry democrat., 1882-05-20
WONDERS OF THE DEEP.

GAS there are stars in the sky, so are
there stars in the sea-" said old John
Henry, more than hundred years ago.
The mighty waters that lie Sin the
hollow of the Fathers hand' are, in
deed, filled with wonderful treasures, in
every variety of shape and size, and
there is no fairy tale more enchanting
than the opening out of these ocean
treasures, even to the most minute,
which seem to US most wonderful.
If we search the Indian Ocean alone
we find myriads Of branching thickets,
bearing living fowers!-unfolding a
garden landscape of greater diversity Of
coloring than the most luxuriant vege-
tation Of a tropical climate and all COM
posed of animals and not of plants.
Shades of vivid green, alternating with
brown and yellow, the richest purple up
to pale red, deepest of blue mingled
with most delicate rose colors, all go to
make up the thousand strange forms
and tints of the sea-urchins and star
fishes of all kinds. They sometimes
swarm so thickly as to change the
whole color of the sea, these patches of
colored water extending as far as the
eye can reach, and marvelously COM
bining in certain lights the seven solar
colors. Perhaps you did not know that
the Red Sea, as well as the Yellow, get
their names from this very coloring,
given to delicate kind of seaweed, and
which, at certain seasons of the year, is
washed upon their shores, but it is real
ly SO. .-e
And now for short description of
some of these " stars of the sea, be-
ginning with perhaps the most beauti-
full, the sea-anemones, which look at
first like Jumps of jelly, and then in
their brilliant green and red, and yell
low, open out into the most gorgeous
flowers, like gigantic cactus blossoms.
They expand their tentacles or feelers,
often to the number of seven hundred,
upon the broken rocks, or fiat bottom
of the ocean, and if you should touch
them you would find that they are pro-
vided, too, with weapons of defense in
the shape of thread-like lassos, which
are shot out from innumerable Sits,
scattered over the tube within their
bodies. Thus, marvelously, God arms
them for attack.
Did you know that these little crea-
lures were greatly instrumental in max
ing the beautiful coral so much priced
for ornaments? Both in the Pacific and
Indian Oceans, coral islands. without
number, have been created, as well as
pearls in great heaps. There is scarcely
a nook or corner, where some of these
tree-like forms are not found, associated
with the beautiful sea-anemones-and
living coral, branch after branch, added
to them. by the constant labor of these
jelly polypes. Among these "bowers
of stone,'' or scoral shrubs" play the
cumming BIRDS of the ocean! little
fish, sparkling in golden green or
brightest silvery luster; while like
"spirits of the Deep float the white or
blue bells of the jelly-fsh, through this
fairy world, often giving the whole |
ocean the look of vast plain covered |
with snow. These tiny jelly bells. float
by millions and break into phosphores-
cent light as they dash upon the shore.
Some of them are the veriest specks, |
and yet are living, active creatures,
with a sort of jeWeled eye ON each
which is SO bright as to look like beau
the rays of the rainbow seemed called |
into use to create these gorgeous bells.
Early in the summer the sea is full of |
them.
Other ielly-fsh of the same order may
be seen in calm weather, sailing on the
water by means of an apparatus like a
large-sized umbrella, of opal or rose
pink, scalloped with band of blue,
which they shut up, as it were, when
storms overtake them, and sink far
down into the depths. And what is
most singular, this queer looking ap-
pendage IS full of canals, which carry
nourishment over the whole animal! and
answers the purpose too of a little hood,
to shield the eyes from harm. How
wonderful. you say! 3.a..,
But wait: what singular creature is
this, too, rolled up SO tightly in ball,
and beginning to walk along, not on
feet, but on the tips Of its spines?-as if
on stills, putting out, here and there,
long tubes or threads by which to an
Choir itself. There is something very
funny in the way this prickly ball walks,
as it so demurely lifts some of its sucker
feet, to plant others, guiding itself all
the while by its spines, each spine SEEM
ing to be ON its own account without
any regard to the others.
To look at this strange creature. the
it would be hard to believe
that it belongs to the star-fish tribe, and
yet it does. Building by soft plates of
lime, strong box to protect its body
In f11r Ix-xx