40 THE OCEAN. 



found in Berwick Bay, that its motion is peculiar. 

 " It generally swims on its back, and instead of 

 darting forward through the water, as the other 

 species of Cychps do, it springs with a bound from 

 the bottom of the vessel, where it rests when un- 

 disturbed, up to the surface of the water. For this 

 purpose it curls its body up into the form of a ball, 

 and then, suddenly returning to the straight posi- 

 tion, springs with a sudden bound from the bottom 

 to the surface, falling gradually down again to the 

 same place from which it sprung." It is a remark- 

 able character of all these pretty little ivater-Jkas, 

 that they have but a single eye, which is generally 

 of a bright crimson hue, sparkling like a little ruby, 

 and is set in the front of the head. Any of my 

 inland readers, who may have no opportunity for 

 sea-side researches, may form a very good idea of 

 the form and habits of these agile " minims of exist- 

 ence" by pulling up a handful of the common duck- 

 weed from a stagnant pool, and putting a pinch of 

 it into a clear glass phial, nearly filled with water : 

 numbers of the fresh-water Entomostraca will be 

 almost certain to swim out; and the sight will amply 

 repay the trouble of procuring them, especially if 

 viewed with a microscope, or even a common magni- 

 fying glass. 



Probably the objects which would first arrest the 

 observation of one who for the first time visited 

 a rocky shore, would be, after the broad element 

 itself, the marine plants which in such abundance 

 and variety clothe the submerged rock. At a glance 

 we perceive that they are singular productions; the 



