40 THE OCEAN. 



found in Berwick Bay, that its motion is peculiar. 

 "It generally swims on its back, and instead of 

 darting forward through the water, as the other 

 species of Cycbps do, it springs with a bound from 

 the bottom of the vessel, where it rests when un- 

 disturbed, up to the surface of the water. For this 

 purpose it curls its body up into the form of a ball, 

 and then, suddenly returning to the straight posi- 

 tion, springs with a sudden bound from the bottom 

 to the surface, falling gradually down again to the 

 same place from which it sprung." It is a remark- 

 able character of all these pretty little water-fleas, 

 that they have but a single eye, which is generally 

 of a bright crimson hue, sparkling like a little ruby, 

 and is set in the front of the head. Any of my 

 inland readers, who may have no opportunity for 

 sea-side researches, may form a very good idea of 

 the form and habits of these agile "minims of exist- 

 ence" by pulling up a handful of the common duck- 

 weed from a stagnant pool, and putting a pinch of 

 it into a clear glass phial, nearly filled with water : 

 numbers of the fresh-water Entomostraca will be 

 almost certain to swim out; and the sight will amply 

 repay the trouble of procuring them, especially if 

 viewed with a microscope, or even a common magni- 

 fying glass. 



Probably the objects which would first arrest the 

 observation of one who for the first time visited 

 a rocky shore, would be, after the broad element 

 itself, the marine plants which in such abundance 

 and variety clothe the submerged rock. At a glance 

 we perceive that they are singular productions; the 



