so much so, that many of them
never quit their native region in the sea. All the beautiful and
delicate marine creatures and productions which dwell in the warm waters
of the south are utterly absent from those shores which are laved by the
cold currents that descend from the north; while, owing to the influence
of the Gulf Stream, we find many of those lovely and singular creatures
upon our comparatively northern shores. Of late years, as every one
knows, we have all over the land been gathering these marine gems, and
studying their peculiar habits with deep interest in that miniature
ocean the aquarium. In the same parallel on the other side of the
Atlantic none of these little lovers of heat are to be found.

On the other hand, the whale, delighting as it does to lave its huge
warm-blooded body in iced water, is never found to enter the Gulf
Stream. Thus these fish, to some extent, define its position. Other
fish there are which seem to resemble man in their ability to change
their climate at will but, like him also, they are apt in so doing to
lose their health, or, at least, to get somewhat out of condition. Some
kinds of fish, when caught in the waters off Virginia and the Carolinas,
are excellent for the table; but the same species, when taken off the
warm coral banks of the Bahamas, are scarcely worth eating. In fact, we
see no reason for doubting that when these fish find their health giving
way in the warm regions of the south, they seek to reinvigorate
themselves by change of water; and, quitting for a time the beauteous
coral groves, spend a few of the sunnier months of each year in
gambolling in the cool regions of the north, or, what is much the same
thing, in those cool currents that flow from the north in clearly
defined channels.

Besides its other useful and manifold purposes, the Gulf Stream would
seem to be one of the great purveyors of food to the whales.
Sea-nettles, or medusae, are well known to constitute the principal food
of that species of whale which is termed the right whale. Navigators
have frequently observed large quantities of these medusae floating
along with the Gulf Stream; and one sea captain in particular fell in
with an extraordinarily large quantity of them, of a very peculiar
species, off the coast of Florida. As we have said, no whales ever
enter the warm waters of the Gulf Stream; therefore, at that time at
least, the leviathan could not avail himself of this rich pro