mo
THE SEAS
_
‘
rounding its mouth, are a number of powerful hook—like
teeth, and with these it can seize on its prey, which it
rapidly devours.
Often it can be seen to have within its
stomach one or two of the copepod Calanus, and, when very
young herring are abundant, it will capture them and eat
them even though they be as long as itself.
Another very beautiful plankton worm is the Tomopteris,
which has a row of Wing—like feet down either side of its body,
with which it paddles its way through the water with a
curious wriggling motion (Fig. 25).
_
.
In warm ocean waters there are commonly to be found
numbers of animals known as Salps.
These are closely allied
to the common sea squirts, which lead a sedentary existence
xed to rocks and piers; but unlike its relative, the Salp
-
lives a free drifting existence in the open waters.
It is an
inch or more in length, shaped like a barrel, and perfectly
_
transparent.
They'are not usually to be seen in northern
waters, and when found are a fairly reliable indication of
_
the presence of Gulf Stream water.
'
'
Belonging to the same group of animals isthe Pyrosoma,
_
so
remarkable for its phosphorescence.
The Pyrosoma
Suers a curious indignity at the hands of a small crusta‘
cean,
the Phronima, a glass-like creature, all head and
'
eyes. The Phronima eats off all the living portion of
the Pyrosoma (which is really a colony of animals) and
then retires inside the barrel-like skin that is left (Fig. 26).
This interesting beast is sometimes to be seen within its
gelatin0üs home, surrounded by a brood' of young, and has
been observed to navigate its home about in the“ water.
,
members—of the plankton- are too numerousto
'
'
mention here.
The best book is nature itself, and therefore
.
at the rst opportunity one should make a small toW-net,
,»
take a small boat and row out about aïini1e from the shore
on & calm day, drop the net ovèrboard until it is a few feet
THE SEAS
_
‘
rounding its mouth, are a number of powerful hook—like
teeth, and with these it can seize on its prey, which it
rapidly devours.
Often it can be seen to have within its
stomach one or two of the copepod Calanus, and, when very
young herring are abundant, it will capture them and eat
them even though they be as long as itself.
Another very beautiful plankton worm is the Tomopteris,
which has a row of Wing—like feet down either side of its body,
with which it paddles its way through the water with a
curious wriggling motion (Fig. 25).
_
.
In warm ocean waters there are commonly to be found
numbers of animals known as Salps.
These are closely allied
to the common sea squirts, which lead a sedentary existence
xed to rocks and piers; but unlike its relative, the Salp
-
lives a free drifting existence in the open waters.
It is an
inch or more in length, shaped like a barrel, and perfectly
_
transparent.
They'are not usually to be seen in northern
waters, and when found are a fairly reliable indication of
_
the presence of Gulf Stream water.
'
'
Belonging to the same group of animals isthe Pyrosoma,
_
so
remarkable for its phosphorescence.
The Pyrosoma
Suers a curious indignity at the hands of a small crusta‘
cean,
the Phronima, a glass-like creature, all head and
'
eyes. The Phronima eats off all the living portion of
the Pyrosoma (which is really a colony of animals) and
then retires inside the barrel-like skin that is left (Fig. 26).
This interesting beast is sometimes to be seen within its
gelatin0üs home, surrounded by a brood' of young, and has
been observed to navigate its home about in the“ water.
,
members—of the plankton- are too numerousto
'
'
mention here.
The best book is nature itself, and therefore
.
at the rst opportunity one should make a small toW-net,
,»
take a small boat and row out about aïini1e from the shore
on & calm day, drop the net ovèrboard until it is a few feet