OE, GLIMPSES BENEATH THE WATERS. 



shoreSj is indeed of still more recent date. Tlie 

 subject, in fact, is but even now beginning to 

 develop itself beneath the pens of an enterprising 

 band of marine naturalists, with such leaders as 

 Johnston, Harvey, John Edward Gray, the indefati- 

 gable Gosse, and the revered shade of the lamented 

 Eorbes at their head. 



A truly popular knowledge even of those more 

 accessible regions of our woods and fields, is but 

 little more ancient; for, till Gilbert Yfhite had 

 made the story of such loiowledge as attractive as 

 romance, in his " Natural History of Selborne," few 

 guessed what an arena of ever new interests and 

 discoveries it presented. 



Through the fascinating interpretation of the 

 good Gilbert, many now understand the attraction of 

 those branches of natural history which he so curi- 

 ously investigated ; but few are willing to admit that 

 it is as easy to make the natural features of some 

 obscure fishing-village, with no herbage on its bare 

 rocks, and no bush, no blade of grass, no bird to be 

 seen or heard, equally interesting ; yet I can assure 

 them, that by lifting even the mere border of that 

 green curtain of the ocean, or by awaiting its unveil- 

 ings, as the retiring tide bears back its folds, a host 

 of wonders will be revealed, sufficient to rouse the 



