148 GLAUCUS ; OR, 



Put your weeds into your tank, and settle them 

 at the bottom ; which last some say should be 

 covered with a layer of pebbles : but let the 

 beginner leave it as bare as possible; for the 

 pebbles only tempt cross-grained annelids to 

 crawl under them, die, and spoil all by decaying : 

 whereas if the bottom of the vase is bare, you 

 can see a sickly or dead inhabitant at once, and 

 take him out (which you must do) instantly. 

 Let your weeds stand quietly in the vase a day 

 or two before you put in any live animals ; and 

 even then, do not put any in if the water does 

 not appear perfectly clear : but lift out the weeds, 

 and renew the water ere you replace them. 



Now for the live stock. Lx the crannies of 

 every rock you will find sea-anemones (Actinia;) ; 

 and a dozen of these only will be enough to 

 convert your little vase into the most brilliant 

 of living flower-gardens. There they hang upon 

 the under side of the ledges, apparently mere 

 rounded lumps of jelly : one is of a dark purple 

 dotted with green ; another of a rich chocolate ; 

 another of a delicate ohve ; another sienna- 

 yellow ; another all but white. Take them from 

 their rock ; you can do it easily by slipping 

 under them your finger-nail, or the edge of a 



