The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-05-05
A GLASS-BOTTOMED BOAT
IN INGENIOUS CONTINUANCE FOR
SCIENYIFIC DISSERTATION.

Kinds-Se Weeds in Black, Green and
Purple-Loolting Down Through the
Window at Night.
Among the ingenious contrivances for
aiding biological study and for the gen
eral entertainment of the layman, the
glass bottomed boat of the Pacific is
UNIQUE. Such means of observation
is possible only in smooth water, and
the island of Santa Catalina, which
abounds in quiet bays, smooth hooks
and corners and semi-tropical condi-
lions, is the only place in Southern Cal
ifornia where such craft is found. At
Avalon, the picturesque little watering
place of the island, there are two rival
glass bottomed boats. The one l went
in had a window of heavy plate glass,
about twelve feet in length, over well
rising in the center just above the bot
tom, so that the boat can run in upon
the beach without injuring it. The OBJ
servers sit on both sides of the well,
through which they look down upon the
bottom, where in water not over thirty
or forty feet deep the various objects
are to be seen with startling distinct
ness.
Santa Catalina is protected by
forest of kelp, which grows upward In
deep water forming submarine for
est, among which float richly hued fish
of many kinds. The shore, except in
the sandy bays, is rocky and covered
with wealth of vegetation, which, as
the boat drifts along, is reflected as in
a mirror. Here are true seaweeds in
black, green and purple, waving gently
In the ground swell and taking on tints
of amber and gold as the sunlight
pours in beneath the boat. Every rock
is covered with short bush-like ferns,
sertularias of delicate shape, each
branch, upon close examination, being
lined with delicate polyps-mimic flow
ers. Other forms, equally remarkable
in their resemblance to plants, are
worms or polyzoans. Over nearly all
the stones wormlike shapes are seen
the stony tubes of serpulac whose ra-
dating coronets in crimson, yellow,
green, red and white add to the splen
did coloring of, this window picture.
| Many of the animal communities which
take the form of plants are rich Law
ender; great masses, gently waving,
being seen down through long vistas of
kelp, which form columns and arches
| Of olive and amber hues as far as the
| eye can reach. In the crevices of the
themselves, their long points aimed
menacingly upward Here are star
| fishes of various kinds and in all condi-
tions of servitude. Few are perfect,
owing to the fact that the bg-mouthed
| sheepshead prizes them and nips off an
arm whenever 1t is exposed. This adds
| to the interest of the starfish as nearly
all have unequal arms, these organs be-
| ing in all stages of reproduction, and
! one arm that has escaped is repro
| ducing body.
| Across the rocks lies a dun-colored
object about the size of cucumber, and
| q pedfect fac-simile. 1t is holothurian.
| the beche de mer of the French, the
| trepang of the Chinese, a dainty for
| dred thousand dollars per annum.
| The sharp head thrust from a dark
cavern is hurry, one of the sea cells
| a vicious monster, with long fanglike
teeth; three or four feet of his wlllowy
body Is beneath the rocks. From an
| other nook rises a faint cloud of black,
| resembling smoke, the ink of the octo-
pus or devilfish, which, when alarmed
| thus endeavors to throw it's enemy off
| the scent, retiring behind the inky
! cloud. AS the boatman reaches down
and seizes it the eight ugly snakelike
| sucker-lined tentacles are wound
about his arm with vicious grasp and
an attempt is made to bring the par
rot-like beak into play. The serrated
rims of the suckers press upon the skin,
making the blood flow, while the ami
NAL, pumping It's ink into the water,
clings to the arm, and is wrenched
away only after determined efforts.
Drifting in deeper water, more fanci-
fui and aesthetic creatures are seen.
Jelyfishes float by in numbers, some as
large as a saucer, others grading down
to minute forms, their rich shapes scin-
tillating with color as the sun strikes
them.
One of the most beautiful objects
seen through the window is known as
physophora hydrostatica, high form
Of iellyfish AS it poises in the water,
slowly rising beneath the window, it
resembles an inverted thermometer,
the bulb filled with mercury forming
the float The bulb is an air or gas
buoy. and it's resemblance to quicksil-
yer is perfect. This buoy raises or low
ers the animal at will, and its normal
position is at the surface. Three inches
below the bulb are attached a series of
delicate glasslike organs which resem-
BILE semi circular pumps, called chal-
ices. They are hollow, and a little pis-
ton drives the water out of them with
great force, these being the locomoto1
organs of the animal. They are colored
a. delicate iridescent hue, while below
are tentacles exactly like those of a sea
anemone, of violet and green, which
wave in every direction; below this
again, streams a veil formed of delicate
pink tentacles. A more wonderful and
attractive creature could not be mag
ined.
The view from this window gives q
vivid and comprehensive idea of the
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