8 ME. WARINGTONS 



— yet tlie coralline is growing, and apparently has lost 

 none of its vitality; but the animals have sensibly 

 decreased in numbers, though many of them continue 

 to be active, and shew no dislike to their situation. 

 What can be more conclusive ? I need not say that 

 if any animal, or even a sponge, had been so confined, 

 the water would long before this time have been de- 

 prived of its oxygen, would have become corrupt and 

 ammoniacal, and poisonous to the life of every living 

 thing."* 



On the 4th of March, 1850, at a Meeting of the 

 Chemical Society, Mr. Robert Warington communi- 

 cated the results of an experiment which he had been 

 prosecuting for nearly a year, " On the adjustment 

 of the relations between the animal and vegetable 

 kingdoms, by which the vital functions of both are 

 permanently maintained." Two small gold fish were 

 placed in a glass receiver of about twelve gallons' 

 capacity, covered with thin muslin to exclude dust and 

 soot. The vessel was half filled with spring-water, 

 with a bottom of sand and mud, and some loose frag- 

 ments of limestone and sandstone, so arranged as to 

 afford shelter and shade. A small specimen of Valis- 

 neria spiralis was at the same time planted in the 

 mud, and kept in place by a stone. The whole was 

 then left undisturbed. 



Every thing went on well for a time, till it was 

 found that the natural decay of the older leaves of 

 the plant began to produce turbidity in the water, and 

 a confervoid growth accumalated on the sides of the 



• Op. qit.; p. 215. 



