y the sea, and was greatly discoloured by the decomposition of some
peculiar substance upon it. A little of this snow dissolved in a
wine-glass appeared perfectly nebulous--the water being found to contain
a great number of semi-transparent spherical substances, with others
resembling small portions of fine hair. On examining these substances
with a compound microscope, I was enabled to make the following
observations:--

"The semi-transparent globules appeared to consist of an animal of the
medusa kind. It was from one-twentieth to one-thirtieth of an inch in
diameter. Its surface was marked with twelve distinct patches, or
nebulae, of dots of a brownish colour. These dots were disposed in
pairs, four pairs or sixteen pairs alternately, composing one of the
nebula. The body of the medusa was transparent. When the water
containing these animals was heated, it emitted a very strong odour, in
some respects resembling the smell of oysters when thrown on hot coals,
but much more offensive.

"The fibrous or hair-like substances were more easily examined, being of
a darker colour. They varied in length from a point to one-tenth of an
inch; and when highly magnified, were found beautifully moniliform.
Whether they were living animals, and possessed of locomotion, I could
not ascertain. They possessed the property of decomposing light, and in
some cases showed all the colours of the spectrum very distinctly.

"I afterwards examined the different qualities of sea water, and found
these substances very abundant in that of an olive-green colour; and
also occurring, but in lesser quantity, in the bluish-green water. The
number of medusae in the olive-green water was found to be immense.
They were about one-fourth of an inch asunder. In this proportion, a
cubic inch of water must contain 64; a cubic foot 110,592; a cubic
fathom 23,887,872; and a cubic mile about 23,888,000,000,000,000."

Of course we have, in the last two numbers, reached the utterly
incomprehensible; but Dr Scoresby goes into comparisons which help us a
little, at least to ascertain how hopelessly beyond our conceptions such
numbers are.

"From soundings made in the situation where these animals were found, it
is probable the sea is upwards of a mile in depth; but whether these
substances occupy the whole depth is uncertain. Provided, however, the
depth to which they extend be but two hundred and fifty fathoms, the
above immense number of one speci