THE WONDERS OF THE SHORE. 173 



Nay more, even to tliem, must not the glories of 

 the water-workl be always more momentary than 

 those of the rainbow, a mere Fata Morgana which 

 breaks np and vanishes before the eyes ? If there 

 were but some method of making a miniature sea- 

 world for a few days ; much more of keeping one 

 with us when far inland. — 



This desideratum has at last been filled up ; and 

 science has shown, as usual, that by simply obeying 

 Nature, we may conquer her, even so far as to have 

 our miniature sea, of artificial salt-water, filled with 

 living plants and sea-weeds, maintaining each other 

 in perfect health, and each following, as far as is 

 possible in a confined space, its natural habits. 



To Dr. Johnston is due, as far as is known, the 

 honour of the first accomplishment of this as of a 

 hundred other zoological triumphs. As early as 

 1842, he proved to himself the vegetable nature of 

 the common pink Coralline, which fringes every rock- 

 pool, by keeping it for eight weeks in unchanged 

 salt-water, without any putrefaction ensuing. The 

 ground, of course, on which the proof rested in this 



