74 POPULAR HISTORY OF THE AQUARIUM. 



Infusoria and Foraminifera, 



Since the great work of Ehrenberg on the ' History of 

 Infusoria, Living and Possil/ a great number of these infi- 

 nitesimal creatures have been discovered to be the young of 

 other animals, and others proved to belong to the vegetable 

 kingdom, although gifted with a kind of spontaneous motion ; 

 and as many of the others are yet undetermined, it seems 

 possible that the Infusoria, as a class, may come to be dis- 

 persed over various parts of the system. As affording food 

 to many marine animals whose habits and organization 

 render them entirely dependent on such provision, they are 

 indispensable parts of the mighty scheme of Providence; 

 and in the Aquarium their existence will be duly appreciated, 

 although scarcely perceptible to the eye. 



Every current drawn towards the patient Anemone, or 

 agitated by the ever-repeated cihary action of other marine 

 animals, brings into the proper channels many tiny and 

 almost invisible living creatures, which afford rich nou- 

 rishment to the fortunate recipients, many of which have 

 no means of securing more tangible objects, or of devour- 

 ing them if secured; and many others live mainly upon 

 the Infusoria, although quite capable of seizing and en- 



