324- THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



of creatures such as these, to be alternately destroyers 

 and destroyed : 



" While ravening death of slaughter ne'er grows weary, 

 Life multiplies the immortal meal as fast. 

 All are devourers, all in turn devour'd ; 

 Yet every unit in the uncounted sum 

 Of victims has its share of bliss its pang, 

 And but a pang, of dissolution : each 

 Is happy till its moment comes ; and then, 

 Its first, last suffering, unforeseen, unfear'd, 

 Ends with one struggle pain and life for ever." 



NEREIS NOCTILUCA. " The Glow-worm Nereis" 



Among the members of the numerous tribe of 

 Nereids, we must not forget to mention the luminous 

 properties of the NEREIS NOCTILUCA : 



" Hanno quest 'onde i lor diletti ancore 

 Qui se spiega la notte il fosco velo 

 Nel mare emulo al cielo ; 

 Piu lucidi, piu belle 

 Moltiplicon le stelle 

 E per 1' onde vedrai gelida e bruna 

 Rompere i raggi e scintillar la luna." 



When transferred amidst a quantity of marine pro- 

 ductions to a glass jar, this pretty little Annelide, a 

 diminutive species not exceeding the length of half 

 an inch, commonly ascends to the very edge of the 

 water, and there secures itself just under the surface, 

 in a silken sheath applied to the side of the vessel. 

 On sudden agitation, the whole body of the worm 

 seems in a blaze, even while it remains stationary in 

 its own element ; but if, after emptying the vessel, it is 

 filled up with fresh water (i. e. river-water), beautiful 



