NOTES ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BELL ROCK. 9 



" There's nothing new under the sun." This much quoted 

 aphorism was forcibly suggested to our minds the other day 

 while collecting specimens for our aquarium. In the first 

 instance, a spider-crab, which, when stranded high and dry, 

 appeared but an unsightly mass of tangled seaweed, when 

 placed in the aquarium assumed all the beauties of a verdant 

 grove. From every available point on the upper surface of 

 hie mossy-covered shell beautiful variegated plants streamed 

 and waved their delicately-feathered fronds. Conspicuous 

 amongst this luxurious growth were specimens of the coral- 

 lines or sea-firs, which a casual observer might easily suppose 

 to be miniature fir trees, but which in reality are plants only 

 in semblance. Each of these delicate looking plants is actually 

 an animal ; in fact, a colony of animals. Closely placed along 

 each side of the stem and delicate branches of other growths 

 are slight projections or nodules, each containing a separate 

 animal, which it surprises one to learn is eventually destined 

 to become a jelly fish. The benefits of this partnership be- 

 tween crab and coralline is probably mutual, but the advantage 

 to the crab in being thus arrayed is easily seen, as he can 

 remain completely concealed from his enemies, and be able to 

 stalk his prey with greater certainty of success. Shakespeare, 

 in his tragedy of "Macbeth," caused an attacking force to 

 advance under cover of a wood they had cut down for that 

 purpose, but here in Nature's own arena similar tactics are 

 being pursued, and probably were ages before " Birnam Wood 

 came to Dunsinane," or any of the genus homo ever saw the 

 light. 



In the second instance, our attention was centred in a 

 small jelly-fish swimming about in a quiet pool, its trans- 

 lucent body being scarcely distinguishable but for the 

 beautiful flashes of irridescent light it was continually giving 

 off in the bright sunshine. This beautiful object might, 

 without exaggeration, be truly termed a living gem. Trans- 

 ferring it to a glass of sea water for a closer inspection, our 

 curiosity was amply rewarded. In shape and size similar 

 to a nutmeg, its body was divided by eight equidistant bands 



