Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-11-26
LIFE IN GULF WEED.
An Sorts Of Curious Animals Journey
with the Calf Streams Current.


Il Is surprising what curious creatures
live in gulf weed. Not the least extraor-
binary of these inhabitants of the float
ing alge which are borne on the current
Of the gulf stream is little fish that
makes its nest in the weeds. For its
own protection from enemies, it is made
80 like the weeds themselves, being or
ange colored with white spots, that one
cannot detect the scaly animal without
actually taking handful of the vege-
table stuff in which it seeks shelter and
scrutinizing it. The fish builds its nest
by binding together punches OF the gulf
weed with long, sticky gelatinous strings.
Its eggs are laid in cavity. Its very fms
are finger shaped, counterfeiting the form
of the weed fronds. They are more like
hands than fins, and are actually en-
ployed for walking through the seaweed,
rather than for swimming. The fish
utilities them also in putting together its
nests.
The great gulf current, in its course
northward along the Atlantic coast and
around the great circuit that forms with
its eddy the famous Sargasso sea OF
marine grasses, carries along with it an
endless stream Of life in connection with
the gulf weed which floats upon it in
"windrows." The weeds, of varied
kinds, bring with them from the tropics
I creatures multifarious, conveyed by the
mighty river of warm water through the
midst of the colder ocean. Most of them
die when the cooler latitudes are reached,
and thus it happens that the larvae OF
many forms are found on the shores OF
Nantucket and elsewhere in places to
which the adult animals are unknown.
They never live to grow up.
The floating gulf weed is literally
crowded with life. One cannot pick up
a piece that does not carry many shrimps
or prawns of different kinds as passen-
gers. There are crabs, too, small and
bigger, which mostly initiate the grasses
in their colorlng. Of smaller crustacea
there are numerous species, such as the
so called ''sea heas" and barnacles.
Barnacles are crustacea which have un-
dergone q ''retrograde metamorphosis,'' u
as it is termed, having been free swim
mers in the early stage of their existence.
They, too, take passage on the seaweed
RATS and voyage to the land Of nowhere,
seeking their fortune.
In the gulf weed also is an infinite
number of mollusks, some with shells
and others without any. Among the
latter are the "sea slugs," resembling the
garden slugs, devourers of plants, which
are true mollusks also. Another mollush
often picked up among the gulf weeds
is the beautiful argonaut, cephalopod
celebrated in mythic story. 1t is only
the female argonaut that is interesting
The male has no shell, and is very small
comparatively.
There are lots of curious marine
worms among the gulf weed, such a
the ''sea centipedes," abundant in tn
West Indies, which have long detach
able bristles that sting the hand hk
nettles when the animal is incautiousl.
grasped. These worms hide in crevice
of floating driftwood. The latter float
/ until destroyed by the boring of the shil
| worms that attack it, meanwhile afford
ing lodgment for barnacles and littl
, crustacea. Small fishes follow tn
pieces of driftwood as they are carrie'
J along by the current, feeding upon bot
: crustacea and barnacles, while man
seabirds skim about depending for thei
K meals upon the same small animals
J. There is a species of crayfsh, too, foun
# in the weed that makes curious clicl
u ing noise with its claws.
a What most people call the "fruit" Q
{ e 'seed pods" of the gulf weed are simpl
a little air vessels designed for the purpof
of keeping these interesting vegetable
ID afoat. Microscopic creatures calle
Is "brivzoa" weave around the air chan
ot bers delicate lacework, which oftt
IN remains in shape after the vegetab
m matter has decsyed away and disa
10 peared, thus forming exquisite flame
10 "a tous capsules. However, these are on
a few of the passengers that journey
OF the path of the gulf stream on rafts
IN drifting weeds.-New York Sun.
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