THE ROMANCE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



eager eyes to see what adheres to the tallow 

 "arming;" the tiny shells, the frustules of diatoms, 

 even the atoms of coral sand, — curious to learn 

 what is at the bottom of the deep. But, after all, 

 it is much like the brick which the Greek fool car- 

 ried about as a sample of the house he had to let. 



Who can penetrate into the depths of the ocean 

 to trace the arrowy course of the mailed and 

 glittering beings that shoot along like animated 

 beams of light? Who can follow them to their 

 rocky beds and coral caverns? The wandering 

 mariner sees with interested curiosity the flying- 

 fishes leaping in flocks from the water, and the 

 eager bonito rushing after them in swift pursuit ; 

 but who can tell what the flying-fish is doing 

 when not pursued, or how the bonito is engaged 

 when the prey is not before him? How many 

 pleasing traits of conjugal or parental attach- 

 ment the waves of the fathomless sea may con- 

 ceal, we know not: what ingenious devices for 

 self-protection; what structures for the conceal- 

 ment of eggs or offspring ; what arts of attack 

 and defence ; what manoeuvrings and stratagems ; 

 what varied exhibitions of sagacity, forethought, 

 and care ; what singular developments of instinct ; 

 —who shall tell? 



The aquarium has, indeed, already enlarged our 

 acquaintance with the curious creatures that in- 

 habit the waters; and not a few examples of 

 those habits and instincts that constitute animal 

 biography, have by this means been brought to 

 light. Much more will doubtless be learned by the 

 same instrumentality; but there will still remain 

 secrets which the aquarium will be powerless to 

 resolve. From its very nature it can deal only 

 with the small, and those which are content with 

 little liberty ; for the multitude of large, unwieldy, 

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