4 REVIEWS. 



their broad circular disks like flat blossoms adhering to the face of the interior. 

 There are many of these, all of the species A. bellis, and all of the dark chocolate 

 variety, streaked with scarlet ; and they are fine in the ratio of the depth at which 

 they live. One at the very bottom is fully three inches in diameter. 



" There is something exceedingly charming in such a natural vivarium as this. 

 When I go down on my knees upon the rocky margin, and bring my face nearly close 

 to the water, the whole interior is distinctly visible. The various forms and beau- 

 tiful tints of the sea-weeds, especially the purple flush of the Chondrus, are well 

 worthy of admiration ; and I can see the little shrimps and other Crustacea busily 

 swimming from weed to weed, or pursuing their instinctive occupations among the 

 fronds and branches — an ample forest to them. Tiny fishes of the Blenny genus 

 are also hiding under the shadows of the tufts, and occasionally darting out with 

 quivering tail ; and one or two brittle stars are deliberately crawling about, by 

 means of their five long and flexible arms, in a manner that seems a ludicrous ca- 

 ricature of a man climbing up by his hands and feet — only you must suppose an 

 additional arm growing from the top of his head. The variety of their colours, and 

 the singular, but always elegant patterns in which they are arranged, render these 

 little star-fishes attractive." 



During his stay at Marychurch our author did not derive as much benefit 

 from change of scene as had been hoped for, and at the latter end of April 

 he determined to remove to the more bracing climate of the northern 

 coast. Infirm health, we are informed, joined to the frequent prevalence of 

 a heavy surf upon the shore, prevented so full a use of a three months' 

 residence on the coast, as might have been wished ; and yet, how much was 

 observed in that time — how much that hundreds of idle pleasure-seekers 

 daily passed by without a thought. We hope the record may be of use to 

 some who annually frequent our watering-places, and that on their next 

 visit they may be induced to bring their eyes with them, and to use them. 



Ilfracombe was selected as Mr. Gosse's next head-quarters, the scenery 

 of which appears to have greatly charmed him. Here his first search was 

 after the Caryophyllia Smithii, which Mr. Ralfs had stated was to be 

 found at Watermouth and Smallmouth, and which, after some difficulty, he 

 was fortunate enough to find at an intermediate station. Some specimens 

 were brought home and closely watched. We would gladly condense the ob- 

 servations made upon this very interesting coral, but that we feel a muti- 

 lated extract would be doing a great injustice to the subject. We will, 

 however, mention one important part which they appear clearly to prove — 

 " that the surface of the tentacles is delicately ciliated." This interesting 

 peculiarity Mr. Gosse was led to conjecture from observing a current of water 

 over the tentacles when examining them with a rather low microscopic power: 

 this he then changed for a power of 140 diameters, the highest which the 

 nature of the vessel in which the specimens were kept would admit of being 

 used. With this, however, our author unmistakeably saw minute atoms 

 slowly moving in the water, come into proximity to a tentacle, then imme- 

 diately whirled along with rapidity in the direction of the point ; the same 

 thing was seen on both sides of the tentacle, and, in fact, all over its sur- 



