268 THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



whilst in their ordinary habitats. Labouring under 

 these difficulties, we set to work, if possible, to sur- 

 mount them ; and, as many of our readers will doubt- 

 less be glad to learn how we succeeded, we shall now 

 proceed to describe a vivarium of our own contrivance 

 admirably adapted to such an emergency. 



The Tom Hurd rock, although more or less com- 

 pletely submerged at high water, is during the ebb of 

 the tide uncovered, and very easily accessible. Its 

 wave- washed sides are hollowed into broad plateaus and 

 ledges, on some of which are worn deep excavations, 

 forming little pools, left full of water when the tide 

 retires, wherein are growing corallines and various 

 kinds of pretty sea- weeds. One of these pools seemed 

 made exactly for our purpose : beside it was a seat, as 

 comfortable as an old arm-chair, and close by this an 

 elevated ledge that formed our table, such an one, as 

 any microscopist might have envied, solid, flat, and 

 firm no fear of shaking there. The bottom of the 

 pool we filled up to a proper depth with sand and 

 clay and shingle stones, arranging these in different 

 portions of our stony tank, so that each form of 

 Annelide might find appropriate soil wherein to 

 burrow. So far all was straightforward enough ; but 

 here lay the difficulty when the rising tide attained 

 a certain height, the rocky pool would be of course 

 submerged, and, as the waves washed over it, our 

 treasures would be scattered to the deep ; we there- 

 fore sought out some flat stones, massive and square, 

 with which we formed a lid something like that of an 

 ancient stone-coffin, and, to make all more secure, 

 piled other stones upon the top. Having accorn- 



