124 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



is fitted, so that it is water tight, and the whole 

 is covered "with wire gauze. Sea sand, pel)bles 

 and rocks are then placed in it, together with a 

 variety of sea plants, and several species of ani- 

 mals, and then the tank or case is filled with 

 sea water ; this aff"ords the beholder an opportu- 

 nity of observing not only the animated life, but 

 the habits of the animals themselves, which have 

 heretofore been hidden from mortal view. 



In this miniature ocean there are thirty-eight 

 kinds of animals, including the order of Fishes, 

 Crustacea, Worms and Polypi. In the order of 

 fishes are the Toad-fish, Butterfly-fish, Sea-horse, 

 &c. The latter is a most singular and interest- 

 ing creature ; his head so nearly resembles that 

 of a horse as to preclude all thought of a com- 

 parison with anything else, — and he carries it as 

 proudly as that of any steed that ever bounded 

 ever the turf. But all the rest of him is tail ! 

 He is perpendicular! He rises to the surface 

 with all the dignity of a war-horse, or sails into 

 mid-ocean with the majesty of an autocrat, and 

 surveys the peopled world beneath his realm ! 

 The broad shoulders immediately below the 

 head gradually dwindle to a long, flexible tail, 

 which, when at rest, is gracefully coiled. On 

 the back, just below the head, is a small dorsal 

 fin, so delicate and transparent as to escape ob- 

 servation, unless to a critical eye ; — there are also 

 fins of the same kind on the body. The last time 

 I saw him he had a sea-serpent in the embrace of 

 his tail, where he held him for a full half hour, 

 his head rising to mid-ocean and his eye survey- 

 ing the vast deep on every side. 



Among the Crustacea, were the Crah, Sea- 

 spider, Shrimp, Prawn, Wharf-louse, Beach, and 

 Sea-fleas, Sea-goat and Barnacles. In the order 

 of Worms, the Tuhe-ioorm, Sand-tape, &c., and 

 in the Polypi, were the Animal Moss and the 

 Sea Anemone. The latter seems to be the con- 

 necting link between animal and vegetable life ; 

 for although appearing like the under side of a 

 toad-stool, it moves from place to place, and 

 upon placing a piece of raw beef or a fly near it, 

 will close its delicate fibres upon, and consume 

 it. Some of the animals secrete themselves dur- 

 ing the day, and only come forth to seek their 

 prey in the night. Others, such as the Sea-lion, 

 cover themselves in the sand, leaving only their 

 glistening eyes in sight, and pounce upon their 

 unsuspecting victims. In this deep ocean-life 

 the observer can see all the jealousies, rivalries, 

 and contentions so common in the higher order 

 of animal life upon the surface of the earth. 

 Here we have, in miniature, some of the won- 

 derful operations of the great sea, and find 

 opened to our eyes a new world of animal and 

 vegetable life, all expressing with new force the 

 wisdom and power of Him who made them all. 



The water with which the tank is filled is 

 never changed ; the sea plants and animals mu- 

 tually supporting each other by their exhalations ; 

 as the plant respiration consists in giving out 

 oxygen and absorbing carbon, and animal respi- 

 ration is exactly the reverse. The sea weeds 

 are covered with numerous little bubbles looking 

 like silver drops which are filled with oxygen 

 gas. These supply the air in the water with that 

 life-giving element, while the animals themselves 

 give out carbon for the plants. 



I must leave for another letter my visit to the 

 Botanical Gardens, to the Indian delegations, 

 public buildings, Sec, and am. 



Truly yours, SiJiox Brovvn. 



Joel Nourse, Esq., Boston. 



PERSEVERE. 



I'd not give up I — no ! grim despair 

 Sliould never forge a chain for me, 



Whilst thus I breathed my native air. 

 Within a land of liberty ! 



No ; dastaid were that soul that cowers. 



Within a free-born land like ours. 



I'd not give up ! though every frown 

 That Fortune's face is wont to wear, 



Should rob me of the small renown 



That may have been my humble share — 



Should thwart my everj' wish and will — 



Furtune, through all, I'd woo thee still ! 



Shame on the weak and craven heart 

 That bows beneath each transient sorrow, 



Without the nerve to pluck the dart, 

 And greet the sunrise of the morrow '. 



Without the will — for will is jwwer — 



To pluck the thorn, and cull the flower I 



For what, to man, is manhoed given ? 



For what his varied powers of mind ? 

 For what his every hope of Heaven, 



When earth's fair gifts have been resigned, 

 If not to brave misfortune's thrall. 

 And rise superior to them all ? 



Then raise that drooping brow of thine ; 



Resolve — and then endearur! 

 Give sorrow to the laughing wind, 



With fear and doubt, forever ! 

 Pass onward, and despond no more — 

 Thy motto be, ^^ Excelsior !'" 



Famous English Oaks. — The King Oal; 

 Windsor Forest, is more than 1,000 years old, 

 quite hollow. Professor Burnet, who once lunched 

 inside this tree, said it was capable of accommo- 

 dating ten or twelve persons comfortably at a 

 dinner sitting. 



The Beggar's Oal; in Bagshot Park, is 20 feet 

 in girth, five feet from the ground ; the branches 

 extend from the tree 48 feet in every direction. 



The Wallace Oak, at Ellerslie, near where Wal- 

 lace was born, is 21 feet in circumference. It is 

 67 feet high, and its branches extend 45 feet east, 

 36 west, 30 south and 25 north. Wallace and 

 300 of his men are said to have hid themselves 

 from the English, among the branches of this 

 tree, wliich was then in full leaf. — Doivning's 

 Landscape Card. 



