COLLECTING ANIMALS. 



45 



to the surface of the rock, and, if forcibly detached, 

 die. I therefore bring the hammer and chisel into 

 requisition, and split off a considerable fragment of 

 the solid stone, which then, with the plant adhering 

 to it, is placed in the Aquarium. This is often a 

 difficult, always a delicate operation ; the rock is 

 frequently so hard as to resist the action of the 

 chisel, or breaks at the wrong place ; sometimes, 

 on the other hand, it is so soft and friable as to 

 crumble away under the implement, leaving only 

 the isolated plant deprived of its attachment ; and 

 sometimes at the first blow, the sea- weed flies off 

 with the vibration of the shock. Often we have 

 to work under water, where the force of the blows 

 is weakened and almost rendered powerless by the 

 density of the medium, and where it is next to 

 impossible to see with sufficient clearness to direct 

 the assault. 



As the plants are detached, they are placed one 

 by one in security. The finer and more delicate 

 ones, as the Delesseria for instance, are immediately 

 dropped into a jar of water ; for only a few minutes' 

 exposure of their lovely crimson fronds to the air^ 

 would turn them to that dull orange colour already 

 mentioned as the sign of incipient decay. The 

 hardier sorts are laid in the basket,^ — a layer of 

 damp refuse- weed being first put in to receive them, 

 — and covered lightly with damp weed. The degree 

 of moisture thus secured is sufficient to preserve 

 many species from injury for hours. Thus they 

 are brought home. 



CoLLECTiNa Animals. — I have been speaking 

 of the haunts of the living Algce^ and of the manner 

 of procuring them ; because in sequence of idea 

 these come first into consideration. But in point 



