When dried, it is useful for packing up china, and
covering flasks of oil.
Now we come to the real use of sea plants. They are food for all the
hosts of small animals of the sea. These eat it as it grows; or else,
like the mussel and oyster, swallow the tiny scraps of it which float
everywhere like so much dust.
The shell-fish, and other animals which feed on sea plants, are
themselves eaten by other sea creatures, and these in their turn are
eaten by crabs, lobsters and fish, which are eaten by us. It reminds you
of a chain. The first link in the chain is the sea plant, the last links
are the fish and ourselves. So, you see, the weeds and grass of the
ocean are of very great value indeed.
EXERCISES
1. Give the names of three common Sea-weeds.
2. What is the colour of the weed found in deep water?
3. Why cannot Sea-weed grow in very deep water?
4. In what way are sea plants most useful?
LESSON IX.
THE JELLY-FISH.
Or all the queer children of Nature which live in the sea, the
Jelly-fish is one of the queerest. You often find it on the shore,
especially after a severe storm.
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