34 SEA-SIDE STUDIES. 



are to be kept alive, their wants attended to, and tlieir 

 habits watched, that we may form some idea of their 

 theory of life, before we dissect them to learn some- 

 thing of their structure. Jars and phials are emptied 

 into soup-plates of sea-water, previous to a general dis- 

 tribution into pans and vases. A glass tank is very 

 elegant, but expensive. It is ornamental in a quite 

 other style than that of wax-flowers, gorgons in old 

 china, or dark specimens of the Bad Masters, which 

 by many are supposed to enliven apartments ; but if 

 you intend to keep animals for study, a glass tank on 

 many accounts is less desirable than several glass vases, 

 which are inexpensive and portable. I had no tank, 

 and of course never thought of transporting it to 

 Devonshire. Up to this time my Aquarium had been 

 constituted by finger-glasses, tumblers, and glass sugar- 

 basins ; these sufficed for the produce of fresh-water 

 ponds ; but now, on the eve of cultivating the more 

 imposing acquaintance of marine inhabitants, I adopted 

 a friend's advice, and laid in a store of glass jars of 

 formidable dimensions — -jars such as confectioners use 

 to contain sponge-cakes, almonds, &c. These made an 

 additional hamper to my luggage, and the " glass, with 

 care," increased my anxiety not a little. I cannot enu- 

 merate the extra sixjoences it cost me to impress on 

 porters and railway guards the inherent frangibility of 

 glass. I made myself a torment to all officials by the 

 impressive emphasis of my anxiety. And, after all, the 

 jars were almost worthless. Experience flatly and per- 

 emptorily decided against them, as too deep and un- 



