358 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
the twelve months of the year, and in them we find descriptions, in 
Mr. Gosse’s most attractive style, of the several creatures to be found at the 
sea shore in each month. Beginning with January, the author treats us to 
descriptions of the dog-whelk, pelican’s foot, cowry, scallop, sea cucumber, 
and siponculus, each of which he depicts in glowing colours, tracing out their 
structure and mode of life, and here and there interspersing among the more 
zoological matter anecdotes concerning the superstitions connected with these 
animals. In this manner does he travel through the year till he arrives at 
the month of December. One who was ignorant of natural history would 
suppose that there was not much to be seen at so inclement a season ; but the 
writer shows that even in dreary December there is occupation for the seaside 
rambler. He takes up the class Tunicata for discussion ; and selecting, 
among others, the common squirter as an example, he proceeds to explain 
the curious arrangement of its parts : — “ If we watch our Ascidia for a few 
minutes, we perceive that, at irregular intervals, one or both of the gaping 
orifices are suddenly closed or contracted, commonly both at the same 
instant. They are, however, soon opened again ; and we may discern, 
especially if the specimen is in a glass vessel, and we watch it by the aid of a 
lens, with the light of a window at its back, that a current of the surrounding 
water flows from all sides to the taller orifice, and pours down its tube ; 
while occasionally we see the ejection of a stream from the orifice of the 
shorter tube. Thus, we have here a receiving and a discharging tube — the 
exact representatives of the two siphons in such bivalves as Pholas, Venus, 
&c. The former leads down into a capacious sac in the interior, the walls of 
which constitute the breathing apparatus. The inner surface is marked by 
regular parallel ridges, which run in a horizontal direction ; and these again 
are connected by vertical ridges at right angles, very numerous, inclosing a 
vast number of oval compartments. The sides of these are richly ciliated ; 
and if the whole apparatus be carefully dissected out and laid upon the 
stage of the microscope, the course of the ciliary currents may be distinctly 
seen, continuing with unabated vigour and with unfaltering precision for a 
long time after the severance of the organ from the body of the animal.” In a 
similarly graphic manner does Mr. Gosse describe the characters of the com- 
pound tunicates, Botryllus and Pyrosoma, and he then concludes the volume 
with what he terms a protest against modern error. This we regard as some- 
what out of place. It is, no doubt, of advantage to be told “ that we are by 
nature children of wrath ; that the whole world lieth in the wicked one ; and 
that the wrath of God abideth on it ; ” but we consider that there is a place 
for everything, and we cannot but regard Mr. Gosse’s attempt to reanimate 
the old squabble between savans of the dilettante class and theologians of the 
dogmatic order as somewhat ill-timed. When the author confines his 
attention to the branch of science which his many labours so highly adorn, 
we read his volume with interest and profit ; but when he comes to touch 
upon matters of a theologic turn, we cannot help regretting the course he 
adopts. After all, facts in Natural Science appeal to every cultivated mind, 
whilst it must be equally admitted that theological discussions of a special 
kmd, though awakening a sympathy in some persons, may prove offensive to 
others. We yield to none in our reverence for the Great First Cause, and 
our admiration of the marvellous examples of His attributes as displayed in 
