Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-11-10
SEAWEEE.
Wonders of Marine Vegetation De-
scribed.

In the Pacific there is huge mass of
floating seawee1, all packed together,
and continually growing. The largest
such floating island, if so It can be
termed, is found in the Atlantic, and
is popularity known as the Sargasso Sea
"a vast tract of weed, covering an area
as large as the Mississippi Valley. In
| all, in the Atlantic and Pacific, there
are four or five such tracts known to
mariners, and probably Columbus was
| the first white man to see the Sargossa
Sea, his vessel being retarded by 1t.
have rowed among the patches thas go
to make up this vast collection, and
aside from the interest and wonder
which it inspires from its magnitude, 1t
possesses great attractions in the lnnu-
merable strange animals that find a
home there. On my first visit to this
floating world of the ocean the vessel
upon which 1 was sailing became be-
Gained, and taking small boat we
rowed well into large patch of sargas-
sum, which extended away as far as the
eve could reach, but was open here and
there, or contained leads after the fash
ion of an ice pack, or rather openings.
Into one of these blue rivers we rowed
and were soon completely environed by
the olive-hued mass. 1t was just at the
surface, so that the tips of the branches
extended above, catching the rays of the
sun and presenting an almost binding
scintillation. We soon reached the end
of the lead and where it was difficult TO
push keeled boat through the weed.
4 fiat bottomed skiff would have gone
over very rapidly BY forcing an oar
down through the weed in this place l
| judged that three or four feet was the
greatest depth, but in the center it was
undoubtedly much deeper, and the mat
ted mass would form decided barrier
to a vessel drawing much water.
While looking at the weed and noting
its peculiar tintS, the result OF the
growths of many stages, L observed
small black object, which, while SEEM
ingly forming part of the weed itself,
appeared to have separate and individual
motion. Drawing nearer and bending
down 50 that my face was within few
inches of the weed, / saw that the OBJ
iect was fish, and a moment later it
was in nv hand the most curlously
formed of its tribe, the famous antenna-
rIus, one the most remarkable mlmlcs IN
the animal kingdom. At a first glance
the novice would have pronounced the
littG creature frog. for so large were
its pectoral or side fins that they really
appeared 10 be limbs formed for locomo-
tion on land. The little animal was
about five inches in length, OF the exact
color of the surrounding weed, and COW
cred upon its upper surface with barbels
of flesh so utterly useless and fantastic
in their appearance that | could hardly
diyest myself of the idea that they had
not grown there but were really shoots
of the Sargassum attached TO the fish,
but they were fleshy and a part of the
protective economy of the antennarius,
rendering the animal plmost completely
inconspicuous. | doubt if any one not
familiar with the fish and not looking
for it in the gulf weed would discover
1t, though it might be directly in front
of the eyes.
This little mimic lives no. in the open
water. hut directly under the surface,
living upon the weed, often with its fins |
exposed, relying entirely upon its pro- |
tective resemblance for its safety. In |
many observations made then and later, |
l invariably found them lying upon
their sides or entangled in the weed.
One of these little mimics was found |
near ball of Seaweed about the size OF |
a Dutch cheese. 1t was merely a mass
of sargassum collected together in oval
shape and held by bands of gelatlnous |
nature. Examination showed that the |
leaves were covered with minute white
balls, which looked like beads. These
were the eggs of the fish, and the ball |
was its nest one of the most interesting |
structures to be found in the sea. The |
little builders collect the material and |
bind it together with the CLASSY appear
ing secretion, which in all probability IS
taken from a special gland in the abdo-
men, as in the case of the stickelback, |
and so wound about the collection Of |
weeds.
The little antennarius is not the only |
strange dweller in this floating world. |
The crabs, the shell-leSs molusks, all |
have partaken of the general tint OF the |
weed; in fact it almost seems as If the |
colors and forms of the weed had been
transferred TO the backs of the various |
creatures, all being perfectly protected |
by the curious resemblance.
Seaweed has a decided economical |
value. By the Cinnamon several species |
are esteemed as articles of food and are |
to be found in many of the shops of |
Chinatown, to be made into various |
soups supposed to possess certain VIZ
tues. The Irish moss, common on the |
Eastern coast, is for sale in all stores, |
and is collected by the ton, its chief use |
being in blanc mango, etc, while in Ire |
land and Scotland the various moses |
are of great Importance TO the poor peo- |
pie along shore, who rely upon them for |
food. The seaweed about the European |
coast, and also to some extent on our |
OWE. is used in the manufacture of |
iodine and glass and in various chemical |
products. On the coast Of South |
America the great submarine Lamarian |
forests are found growing Immediately |
in the breakers, and presenting the |
appearance of masses of huge snakes |
rolling about in every direction. Some |
of these weeds, especially OFF the Falk- |
land Islands attain gigantic proportions. |
Some have been reported as large around |
as a mans body and several hundred |
feet long, so that vessels can well drag |
aboard the upper portion and anchor by |
them. Those on Patagonian and other |
coasts have direct and important rela-
tion to human existence on these shores,
as were it not for the vast beds which |
break the force Of the sea, no animals |
could exist there. As it is the fishes |
flourish between the shore and the |
weeds, and seals and other marine man.
mails exist, and the country is thus rem
dered habitahle.
The Fish Ponds of Saxony.