( 2 3S ) 



CHAPTER IX. 



WORK AT THE SEASHORE. 

 1852-1856. 



AT the present time, when the principle of the marine 

 aquarium has become a commonplace, it is difficult 

 to realize that forty years ago it had occurred to no one 

 that it might be possible to preserve marine animals and 

 plants in a living state under artificial conditions. In 

 1850, when Philip Gosse was first engaged in the study of 

 the Rotifera, he had noticed that by allowing aquatic weeds, 

 such as vallisneria and myriophylhim, to grow in the glass 

 vases of fresh water in which he kept his captures, both 

 Infusoria and Rotifer a would live in captivity, and even 

 breed and multiply. This observation was the first germ 

 of the invention of the marine aquarium, and towards the 

 close of 185 1 it occurred to him to apply this principle — 

 the supply of oxygen from living plants under the stimulus 

 of light — to the preservation of animals in sea-water. He 

 reflected that if seaweeds, alga*, in the more delicate 

 varieties, could be induced to live in vases of sea-water, 

 they might assimilate carbon and give out oxygen in such 

 proportions as to keep the water pure and fit for the support 

 of animal life. This proved in due time to be the case. To 

 carry out the scheme was a matter of experiment, but the 

 idea was already ripe before the Gosses — " wife, self and 

 little naturalist in petticoats " — proceeded to Devonshire. 



