42 POPULAE HISTORY OF THE AQUARIUil. 



mated group, too rich in nature to be effectively portrayed 

 by art/' 



The Tiibulanm may be kept for observation in sea-water, 

 and a very wonderful and beautiful provision be watched. 

 In a few days, dispirited by captivity, the flower-heads will 

 generally drop off, and the observer naturally expects the 

 straw -like pipes, on which they were placed, to wither and 

 droop. It is not so, however ; but the wound, caused by 

 disseverment, heals at first, and afterwards a new head, 

 formed no doubt principally of the pith which fills the 

 tube, rises to the top, assumes the globular form and 

 bright colour, puts forth its first and second row of ten- 

 tacles, opens its mouth, and is ready for anything that 

 Providence may place within its reach. In this way several 

 successive heads may fall, and a fresh one will supply its 

 place. 



If, then, we see with admiration the flowers of the 

 field and garden, which, beautiful as they are, still give 

 no signs of sensation or voluntary movement, how much 

 more shall we be delighted with these no less beautiful 

 objects, endowed as they are with sentient vitality, and add- 

 ing the grace of motion to those luxuriant charms which 

 meet the eye ! And, if we add to this the exhibition 



