Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-11-11
Lrs N QUE MEeo.
All Sorts OF Curious Aniinai. journey
with the oulf stream's Currsnt


An Sorts of Curious Animals JOURNEY
with the ouif stream's currsnL
II Is surprising what curious creatures
live IN gulf weed. Not tho least eStraor.
binary u these inhabi,ants Of the float
ing align which arr borne on the current
o. the gulf stream Is little fsh that
makes It's nest In tho weeds. For its
own protection from enemies, 1t Is made
% like tho wcsds themselves, being or
ango colored with white spots, that one
canpot detect the scaly animal without
actually taking q handful Of the vegc-
table stuff In which II seeks shelter and
scrdtini1ing IT, The FISH builds its nest
by binding together bunchos Of tho gulf
weed with long, sticky gelatinous stringt
Ita eggs arSlaid In a cavity. It's very fms
are finger shaped. counterfeiting the form
Of the weed frondA They are more like
hands than fins, and ara actually en-.
ployed for walking through the seawecd.
rather than for swimming. The fish
utilities them also In putting together its
nests.
Tho great gulf current, in its course
northward along the Atlantic coast and
around the great circuit that forms with
IT, eddy the famous SArgasso sea Of
marine grasses, carries along with 10 an
endless stream Of life In connection with
tho gulf weed which foats upon Il in
"windrows." Tho weeds. Of varied
kinds, bring with them from the tropics
creatures multifarious, conveyed by the
mighty river Of warm water through the
midst Of the colder ocean. Most Of them
die when the cooler ATTITUDES aro reached,
aud thus IL happens that tho laryB Of
many forms are found on the shores Of
Nantucket and elsewhere In places 10
which the adult animals arc unknown.
They never live TO grow up.
Tho floating gulf weed Il literally
crowded with life. Ono cannot pick up
piece that does not carry many ahrimps
or prawns Of different kinds "a paaen.
gers. There Rro crabs, too, small and
bigger, which mostly initiate tho gray-,s
IA their coloring. OF smaller crugtacca
there ARE numerous species. such a. the
90 called "sea feas" and barnsclca.
parnaclcs are criistacca which have un.
dcrgone "rotrograde metamorphosis."
~ Il Il termed. having been FREQ swim.
mors In the early stage OF their existence
They, too, take Passage on the scawosd
RATS and voyage 10 the land u nowhere,
seeking their fortune.
In tho gulf weed also a an Infinite
number o. mollusks, some with shells
and Others withuu. any Among tho
latter aro the 'sca slugs," resembling tho
garden slugs, dcyourcrs Of plants. which
ofton picked up among the gull weeds
4 hoheautiful argonaut, ccphal1pod,
celebrated Ia mythic story. II Is only
the female argonaut that ia interesting.
The male has no shell. aud is very small
comparatively.
IhcO ar lots OF curious marine
worms among the gulf weed, such NJ
the 'sea contipodos," abundant Ia The
West indies, which have long dotach.
able bristlcs that sting the hand like
noltlca when tho animal IL incau,iouily
grusped. Thcse worms hide in crovice-
of floating driftwood. Tho latter floats
until destroyed by tho boring II the ship
worms that attack IL, meanwhil. afford.
lug a loigmcnt for barnacles and little
crustacoa. Small fishes follow Tho
pieces Of dhftwood ~ they arr carried
along by tho current, feeding upon both
crustaccA aud bafnaeles. while many
seabirds skim about depending for their
meals upon the same small animals,
Thcrc Is a species of orAyi,sh, too. found
In tho weed that makes curious click
ing noise with its claws.
What most people call thu fruit or
"sood pods" Of the gull weed are simply
littlo air vessels designed for the purpos,
OF keeping these interesting vegetable
ailoat. Microscopic creatures called
"btiyEoa" weave around the air cham
bgr delicate lacework, which Otter
romans In shape after the vegetable
matter has deeayed away and disap
pcared, thus forming exquisite iilamen
tous capsules. However, these arr only
a fow OF the passengers that journey by
the path Of the gulf stream ON RATS Of
drifting woels.-Ngw York Sun.