EIVER GARDENS; 



not only for its graceful appearance, but also as 

 one of the most effectual of vegetable aerators. 



The Valisneria has the same valuable pro- 

 perty, and its grass-like foliage is, at the same 

 time, one of the most graceful adjuncts to an 

 Aquarium, as shown in Plate VI., in which it is 

 supposed to be a central object, round which gold 

 fish are sporting in the enjoyment of the grateful 

 shade it affords. The Valisneria and Anacharis 

 have a pretty effect grown together, and are the 

 only plants (attended by a few fresh-water mollusca) 

 necessary to an Aquarium in which a few choice fish 

 only are kept. Valisneria is named after the Italian 

 naturalist Valisnei, who wrote on insects and plants 

 in the last century. 



The Water Lily tribe have been described in 

 another place, as also the ornamental Water Grasses, 

 and we now come, therefore, to a series of water 

 plants of a lower range in the scale of vegetation, 

 though not less curious and interesting. 



These consist of a class of fresh-water vegeta- 

 tion analogous to the sea-weeds of our coasts, and 

 also of another family, consisting of two genera 

 of plants only, Nitella and Chara. These two 

 genera contain, however, some pretty vegetable 

 forms. The Flexile nitella may be known by the 



