ber of living creatures of all orders, whose existence entirely
depends on the kelp, is wonderful. A great volume might be written
describing the inhabitants of one of these beds of seaweed. Almost all
the leaves, excepting those that float on the surface, are so thickly
encrusted with corallines as to be of a white colour. We find
exquisitely delicate structures, some inhabited by simple hydra-like
polyps, others by more organised kinds. On the leaves, also, various
shells, uncovered molluscs, and bivalves are attached. Innumerable
Crustacea frequent every part of the plant. On shaking the great
entangled roots, a pile of small fish-shells, cuttle-fish, crabs of all
orders, sea-eggs, star-fish, sea-cucumbers, and crawling sea-centipedes
of a multitude of forms, all fall out together. Often as I recurred to
the kelp, I never failed to discover animals of new and curious
structures... I can only compare these great aquatic forests of the
Southern Hemisphere with the terrestrial ones of the inter-tropical
regions. Yet, if in any country a forest were destroyed, I do not
believe so many species of animals would perish as would here from the
destruction of the kelp. Amidst the leaves of this plant numerous
species of fish live, which nowhere else could find food or shelter;
with their destruction, the many cormorants and other fishing-birds, the
otters, seals, and porpoises, would perish also; and lastly, the Fuegian
savage, the miserable lord of this miserable land, would redouble his
cannibal feats, decrease in numbers, and perhaps cease to exist."

While still watching the birds at their game of grab, the spectators
observe that the kelp-bed has become darker in certain places, as though
from the weeds being piled up in swathes.

"It's lowering to ebb-tide," remarks Captain Gancy, in reply to an
interrogation from his wife, "and the rocks are awash. They'll soon be
above water, I take it."

"Jest so, Captain," assents Seagriff; "but tain't the weeds that's
makin' those black spots. They're movin' about--don't you see?"

The skipper now observes, as do all the others, a number of odd-looking
animals, large-headed, and with long slender bodies, to all appearance
covered with a coat of dark brown wool, crawling and floundering about
among the kelp, in constantly increasing numbers. Each new ledge of
reef, as it rises to the surface, becomes crowded with them, while
hundreds of others disport themselves in th