266 Mr. P. H. Gosse on keeping Mai^ine Animals and 



entific and unscientific, who have seen my vases of growing Alga 

 at various times during the present year, both at Torquay an( 

 at this place, have expressed strong admiration of the beautifu 1 

 and novel exhibition. | 



I have not as yet been able to preserve the water to an inde-l 

 finite period. Sometimes the experiment has quite failed, thet 

 plants decaying and the animals dying almost immediately ; buti 

 more commonly, the whole have been preserved in health for 

 several weeks. The following notes from my journal give the 

 particulars of the most successful of my efibrts. 



On the 3rd of May I put into a deep cylindrical glass jar (a 

 confectioner's show-glass) 10 inches deep by 5i inches wide, 

 about three pints of sea- water, and some marine plants and 

 animals. 



On the 28th of June following, I examined the contents of the 

 jar as carefully as was practicable without emptying it, or nee^l- 

 lessly disturbing them. It had remained uncovered on the 

 tables in my study, or sometimes in the window, ever since, a 

 little water only having once been added merely to supply the 

 loss by evaporation. The water was perfectly clear and pure. 

 A slight floccose yellow deposition had accumulated on the sides 

 of the jar, but there was very little sediment on the bottom. I 

 had taken no note of the plants or animals when I had put them 

 in ; but as none of them had died, and none had been either abs- 

 tracted or added, the following enumeration gives the original 

 as well as then present contents. 



There were at this time in the jar the following Algse all in a 

 growing state, and attached to the original fragments of rock : — 



Two tufts of Delesseria sanguinea, each with numerous leaves. 



Two of Rhodymenia jubata, one small, the other a large tuft. 



A small Ptilota plumosa, growing with one of the last-named. 



A Chondrus crispus, with 



An Ulva latissima, growing parasitically on one of its fronds. 



These seven plants had supplied for eight weeks the requisite 

 oxygen for the following animals, which were at this time all 

 alive and healthy : — 



Anthea cereus. 



Actinia bellis, a large specimen. 



bellis, a half-grown one. 



anguicoma, large. 



anguicoma, small. 



nivea (MS.). 



rosea (MS.). 



rosea, a small specimen. 



mesembryanthemum, young. 



mesembryanthemum, young, another variety. 



