354 EVENINGS AT THE MICROSCOPE 



I am sure you will pardon my interrupting your micro- 

 scopic gazings for a moment by quoting the following 

 charming lines by the Kev. Dr. Drummond, which were 

 elicited by his having watched with pleasure the elegant 

 form and motions of this little creature. 



"Now o'er the stern the fine-meshed net-bag fling, 

 And from the deep the little Beroe bring: 

 Beneath the sunlit wave she swims concealed 

 By her own brightness; only now revealed 

 To sage's eye, that gazes with delight 

 On things invisible to vulgar sight. 

 When first extracted from her native brine, 

 Behold a small round mass of gelatine, 

 Or frozen dew-drop, void of life or limb: 

 But round the crystal goblet let her swim 

 'Midst her own element and lo! a sphere 

 Banded from pole to pole a diamond clear, 

 Shaped as bard's fancy shapes the small balloon 

 To bear some sylph or fay beyond the moon. 

 From all her bands see lucid fringes play, 

 That glance and sparkle in the solar ray 

 With iridescent hues. Now round and round 

 She wheels and twirls now mounts then sinks profound, 

 Now see her, like the belted star of Jove, 

 Spin on her axis smooth as if she strove 

 To win applause a thing of conscious sense, 

 Quivering and thrilling with delight intense. 

 Long silvery cords she treasures in her sides, 

 By which, uncoiled at times, she moors and rides; 

 From these, as hook-hairs on a fisher's line, 

 See feathery fibrils hang, in graceful twine, 

 Graceful as tendrils of the mantling vine; 

 These, swift as angler, by the fishy lake, 

 Projects his fly, the keen -eyed trout to take, 

 She shoots with rapid jerk to seize her food, 

 The small green creatures of crustaceous brood: 



