32 SEA-SIDE STUDIES. 



and, where needful, identified. The animals are to be kept 

 alive, their wants attended to, and their habits W'atched, 

 that we may form some idea of their theory of life, before 

 we dissect them to learn somethino; of their structure. Jars 

 and phials are emptied into soup-plates of sea-water, pre- 

 vious to a general distribution into pans and vases. A 

 glass tank is very elegant, but expensive. It is ornamental 

 in a quite other style than that of wax-flowers, gorgons in 

 old china, or dark specimens of the Bad Masters, which by 

 many are supposed to enliven apartments ; but if you in- 

 tend to keep animals for study, I think a glass tank on 

 many accounts less desirable than several glass vases, which 

 are inexpensive and portable. I had no tank, and of course 

 never thought of transporting it to Devonshire. Up to 

 this time my Aquarium had been constituted by finger- 

 glasses, tumblers, and glass sugar-basins ; these sufiiced 

 for the produce of fresh-water ponds ; but now, on the 

 eve of cultivating the more imposing acquaintance of 

 marine inhabitants, I adopted a friend's advice, and laid 

 in a store of glass jars of formidable dimensions — jars such 

 as confectioners use to contain sponge-cakes, almonds, &c. 

 These made an additional hamper to my luggage, and the 

 "glass, with care," increased my anxiety not a little. I 

 cannot enumerate the extra sixpences it cost me to impress 

 on porters and railway guards the inherent frangibility of 

 glass. I made myself a torment to all ofiicials by the 

 impressive emphasis of my anxiety. And, after all, the 

 jars were almost worthless. Experience flatly and per- 

 emptorily decided against them, as too deep and unwieldy. 



