The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-08-12
BELOW OCEAN WAVES


sAThoMAslE DEPTHS. 1''1
Strange and Startling struotnres Of sh,
Denissas Of the Dssp-orestsrss WA
Down Have Bsea Crowded from th.
sarfscs Of the SEA.
For a century or moro natuyalists have
known o great deal concerning the
marine organisms which dwell In the
shallow water next the shore. They
long ago learned the amazing richness
of these littoral forms. The census OF
species amounts now to more than 1oo, o0t
distinct forms, 1t is. however, Of iats
that they have ascertained that the deep.
er parts Of the ocean floors have also an
abundant and varied peopling. Thu
greater part Of these shore jewellers ore
exceedingly intolerant of tho enorrnous
pressure of the deeper waters, as well a,
Of the low temperature and total dark.
ness which exists there.
Certain forms have, however, acquired
the ability to Withstand these peculiar
conditions. as generation by generation
through the geologic ages they have
crept away from the realms Of feret
combat next the shoresto the less con.
tested fields Of the open and deepe,
seas. Through all the geologic age.
this selection Of especially prepared
groups for the singular stations or hab
its of the ocean depths has been goinl
on. with the result that those dark ant
pressure burdened regions are now ten
anted by eminently peculiar animals
by species which ever surprise the stu
dent who Is accustomed alone to tht
forms which dwell near the shore.
One of the most striking features con.
nected with the animals Of the deer
seas is the frequency with which we
find their living specimens which remind
us of kinds which In former geologic
periods dwelt in the coastal districts OF
the oceans. 1t seems that many Of thest
ancient creatures, when thoy could nc
longer hold their own against the more
highly organized and developed animals
which inhabited tho favored station
next the shores, shrunk away into the
deep water, and in that undesired par
of the world found an asylum, where
amid the changeless environment, they
have dwelt for ages uualtered. Thus
the vast profounds of the deep have he.
come sort of al,nshouse, whereunte
Anticipated forms have retired before
the overwhelming pressure which the
newer and higher life ever imposes OF
its ancestors.
From the results of the relatively tri
fling explorations which have yet beer
made, there seeins good reason to hope
that in time we may win from the deeI
the nearest living representations Of
many creatures which once occupied q
large place In the seas, but now have
abandoned the fields Of more active com
bat, which arc usually the seat of tn,
greatest advance.
In the profounder seas the invertebratt
/ life appears to have n larger share thar
, is secured by the vertebrate or back
boned animals; yet there are number
Of fishes known in these depths, and il
:. seems likely that these tenants of tn,
deep may be numbered by thousands O.
species. Among the fnned tenants o.
the profounder parts of the ocean w
:. find the most startling departures from
the types with which we are familiar il
coastal waters. IN general shape the,
/ differ little from their kindred which
: dwell in the sunlit shadows.
Tho differences are largely in the
mechanism Of the senses, especially Of
the eyes. These organs undergo sur
prising variations with reference to til,
b enduring Of the darkness of these deeps
, In certain of the species the sight no
! only fails, but the visual apparatus en-
: tirely disappears; in others the eyebal
becomes very much enlarged and til,
nervous apparatus incrassated, and ar,
| evidently arranged TO catch mere Gimp
, SEES Of the light. As 1t is certain that nj
, trace Of sunlight can ever penetrat.
through the deep which overlies tn
7 realm where these animals dwell, tn
/ adaptation of these eyes to the needs o
different vision at first appeared to be
very inexplicsble matter.
Il Some recent discoveries provide u
with what seems to be an adequate ez
! PLANTATION of the enigma. 1t has bee
L found that certain of the denizens c
tho deep sea floors have phosphorescen
It parts of their bodies which serve I
u give light in manner in which it
. yielded by the familiar freflies an
ts glowworms.
ID The end secured by these light givin
parts is probably the attraction of tn
y sexual mates of the creatures. In tn
utter darkness of the ocean this indii
pensable end could be attained in n
other Professor N. s. Shaler i
d Scribneris.