XIV. 



ONE fine morning during the month of January, on 

 peering into my largest tank I perceived, attached to 

 the upper portion of the marble arch (centre piece), 

 a peculiar object that had evidently been deposited 

 during the preceding night, but by whom or by what 

 means I knew not. It resembled a fungoid growth, 

 or riband of flesh, plaited up and attached at one 

 edge to the stone. At every undulation of the water 

 the object moved to and fro with an extremely 

 graceful motion. 



By careful and close examination it was seen to 

 be covered with a film, that gradually expanded 

 until it burst, and thus gave means of escape to 

 thousands of minute white granules. On submitting 

 these to the microscope, a most wondrous sight met 

 my astonished eyes. Each dot or granule proved to 

 be a transparent shell, resembling the periwinkle or 

 rather the nautilus in shape; containing an animal 

 whose excited and rapid movements were amusing to 

 witness. From out the opening of the shell appeared 



