MAY. 121 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE ADJUSTxAIENT OF THE ANIMAL 

 AND VEGETABLE KINGDOMS, 



BY WHICH THE VITAL FUNCTIONS OF BOTH ARE PERMANENTLY MAINTAINED. 

 BY ROBERT WARIXGTON, F.C.S. 



This communication will consist of a detail of an experimental 

 investigation which has been carried on for nearly the last twelve 

 months, and which appears to illustrate, in a marked degree, that 

 beautiful and wonderful provision which we see every where displayed 

 throughout the animal and vegetable kingdoms, whereby their con- 

 tinued existence and stability are so admirably sustained, and by 

 which they are made mutually to subserve each for the other's 

 nutriment, and even for its indispensable wants and vital existence. 

 The experiment has reference to the healthy life of fish preserved in 

 a limited and confined portion of water. It was commenced in May 

 1849, and the subjects chosen were two small gold-fish. These 

 were placed in a large glass receiver of about twelve gallons capacity, 

 having a cover of thin mushn, stretched over a stout copper wire 

 bent into a circle, placed over its mouth, so as to exclude as much 

 as possible the sooty dust of the London atmosphere, without, at the 

 same time, impeding the free passage of the atmospheric air. This 

 receiver was about half filled with ordinary spring water, and sup- 

 plied at the bottom with sand and mud, together with loose stones 

 of larger size of limestone tufa, from the neighbourhood of Matlock, 

 and sandstone ; these were arranged so that the fish could get below 

 them, if they wished so to do. At the same time that the fish were 

 placed in this miniature pond — if I may so term it — a small plant of 

 the Vallisneria spiralis was introduced, its roots being inserted in 

 the mud and sand, and covered by one of the loose stones, so as to 

 retain the plant in its position. The Vallisneria spiralis is one of 

 those delicate aquatic plants generally selected by the microscopist 

 for the exhibition of the circulation of the sap in plants ; it throws 

 out an abundance of long wiry strap-like leaves, of about J inch 

 in breadth, and from 1 to 3 feet in length : these leaves, when the 

 sun shines on them, evolve a continued stream of oxygen gas, which 

 rises in a current of minute bubbles, particularly from any part of 

 the leaf which may have received an injury. 



The materials being thus arranged, all appeared to go on well 

 for a short time, until circumstances occurred which indicated that 

 another and very material agent was required to perfect the adjust- 

 ment, and which, from my not having thought of it at the time of 

 commencing the experiment, had not been provided against. The 

 circumstances I allude to arose from the internal decay of the leaves 

 of the Vallisneria, which became yellow from having lost their 

 vitality, and began to decompose ; this, by accumulation, rendered 

 the water turbid, and caused a growth of mucus, or green slimy 

 matter, on the surface of the water and on the sides of the re- 

 ceiver. If this had been allowed to increase, I conceive that the 



