Half hours in the deep1875 |
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Common terms and phrases
adapted afford animal apparatus appear arms attached beautiful bird bivalve BLENNY boat body bottom British called centre CHAPTER coasts cockle colour common coral crab creature CRINOIDEA crustaceans cuttle-fish deep deposited depth disk dredge eggs extremely fathoms fish flesh FLOOR fluid FORAMINIFERA frequently furnished gannet gills globigerina ooze grampus head hundred immense inches in length INHABITANTS instinct islands lamprey land light living lobster marine plants marvellous means medusa membrane miles minute molluscs motion mouth muscles naturalist NORTHERN DIVER ocean organs peculiar piece pilchard polypes possess prey produced remarkable resemblance rivers rocks salt SCALLOP SEA-PEN SEA-PLANT sea-shore SEA-URCHIN sea-water sea-weed seal seized shark shell ship shores singular species specific gravity specimens spines sponge stalk star-fish STORM-PETREL striking structure substance suckers surface swim tail tentacula terrestrial animals thousand tide tribe tropical variety various vast waves whale whelk zoea zoophytes
Popular passages
Page 316 - I have seen A curious child, who dwelt upon a tract Of inland ground, applying to his ear The convolutions of a smooth-lipped shell ; To which, in silence hushed, his very soul Listened intensely ; and his countenance soon Brightened with joy ; for from within were heard Murmurings, whereby the monitor expressed Mysterious union with its native sea.
Page 280 - ... when it is perfectly formed, the shell gapeth open, and the first thing that appeareth is the foresaid lace or string : next come the legs of the bird hanging out, and, as it groweth greater, it openeth the shell by degrees, till at length it is all come forth, and hangeth onely by the bill : in short space after it commeth to full maturitie, and falleth into the sea, where it gathereth feathers, and groweth to a fowle bigger than a mallard, and lesser than a goose...
Page 297 - Walking by the sea-side, in a calm evening, upon a sandy shore, and with an ebbing tide, I have frequently remarked the appearance of a dark cloud, or rather very thick mist, hanging over the edge of the water, to the height, perhaps, of half a yard, and of the breadth of two or three yards, stretching along the coast as far as the eye could reach, and always retiring with the water. When this cloud came to be examined, it proved to be nothing else than so much space filled with young shrimps...
Page 232 - Actinia crassicornis, that might have been originally two inches in diameter, and that had somehow contrived to swallow a valve of the great scallop (Pecten maximus), of the size of an ordinary saucer. The shell, fixed within the stomach, was so placed as to divide it completely into two halves, so that the body, stretched tensely over, had become thin and flattened like a pancake.
Page 258 - As it does not generally break up before it is raised above the surface of the sea, cautiously and anxiously I sunk my bucket to a level with the dredge's mouth, and proceeded in the most gentle manner to introduce Luidia to the purer element. Whether the cold air was too much for him, or the sight of the bucket too terrific, I know not, but in a moment he proceeded to dissolve his corporation, and at every...
Page 279 - ... shells, in shape like those of the Muskle, but sharper pointed, and of a whitish colour, wherein is contained a thing in form like a lace of silke finely woven as it were together...
Page 297 - ... in the act of bounding into the air, from the shallow margin of the water, or from the wet sand. If any motion of a mute animal could express delight, it was this ; if they had meant to make signs of their happiness, they could not have done it more intelligibly. Suppose, then, what...
Page 257 - I went to dredge on the same spot, determined not to be cheated out of a specimen in such a way a second time, I brought with me a bucket of cold fresh water, to which article Starfishes have a great antipathy. As I expected, a Luidia...
Page 257 - I succeeded in getting it into the boat entire. Never having seen one before, and quite unconscious of its suicidal powers, I spread it out on a rowing bench, the better to admire its form, and colours.
Page 175 - Isles, and a diligent observer of nature, informed him that the natives affirm that some have been seen two fathoms broad over their centre, and each arm nine fathoms long...