OR, GLIMPSES BENEATH THE WATERS. 



no doubt, attached to the branches of the Coralline^ 

 or the fronds of the Tllva. At the end of four weeks 

 the water was still pure, the Molluscs and other 

 animals aliye, and the Conferyse grown ; the Coral- 

 line having thrown out several additional articula- 

 tions. After eight weeks, the water still remained 

 sweet. But had any animal, of even the lowest order, 

 been so confined, without the accompanying pre- 

 sence of vegetables giving off oxygen, all of that vital 

 gas contained in so small a quantity of water would 

 have been quickly exhausted, and the water would 

 have become corrupt, ammoniacal, and poisonous to 

 the life of any living thing. But the author of this 

 experiment had not in view the testing of the possi- 

 bility of preserving the forms of ocean life in a 

 healthy state in confinement ; his business had been 

 to settle an important point connected with the 

 classification of the Corallines ; and having success- 

 fully decided that question, the embryo Aquarium 

 was abandoned. 



On the 4th of June, 1850, Mr. R. "Warrington 

 communicated to the Chemical Society a series of 

 observations on the adjustment of certain relations 

 between the animal and vegetable kingdoms, very 

 important to our present purpose. Two small gold- 

 fish were placed in a glass receiver, a small plant of 



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