the　ways　and　works　of　a　captive　soldier…crab；　（31）　to　show　them　how
  much　there　is　to　be　seen；　and　how　full　Nature　is　also　of　that
  ludicrous　element　of　which　we　spoke　above。　　And；　indeed；　it　is　in
  this　form　of　Natural　History：　　not　in　mere　classification；　and　the
  finding　out　of　means；　and　quarrellings　as　to　the　first　discovery　of
  that　beetle　or　this　buttercup；　…　too　common；　alas！　among　mere
  closet…collectors；　…　〃endless　genealogies；〃　to　apply　St。　Paul's
  words　by　no　means　irreverently　or　fancifully；　〃which　do　but　gender
  strife；〃　…　not　in　these　pedantries　is　that　moral　training　to　be
  found；　for　which　we　have　been　lauding　the　study　of　Natural　History：
  but　in　healthful　walks　and　voyages　out　of　doors；　and　in　careful　and
  patient　watching　of　the　living　animals　and　plants　at　home；　with　an
  observation　sharpened　by　practice；　and　a　temper　calmed　by　the
  continual　practice　of　the　naturalist's　first　virtues　…　patience　and
  perseverance。
  Practical　directions　for　forming　an　〃Aquarium〃　may　be　found　in　Mr。
  Gosse's　book　bearing　that　name；　at　pp。　101；　255；　ET　SEQ。；　and　those
  who　wish　to　carry　out　the　notion　thoroughly；　cannot　do　better　than
  buy　his　book；　and　take　their　choice　of　the　many　different　forms　of
  vase；　with　rockwork；　fountains；　and　other　pretty　devices　which　he
  describes。
  But　the　many；　even　if　they　have　Mr。　Gosse's　book；　will　be　rather
  inclined　to　begin　with　a　small　attempt；　especially　as　they　are
  probably　half　sceptical　of　the　possibility　of　keeping　sea…animals
  inland　without　changing　the　water。　　A　few　simple　directions；
  therefore；　will　not　come　amiss　here。　　They　shall　be　such　as　anyone
  can　put　into　practice；　who　goes　down　to　stay　in　a　lodging…house　at
  the　most　cockney　of　watering…places。
  Buy　at　any　glass…shop　a　cylindrical　glass　jar；　some　six　inches　in
  diameter　and　ten　high；　which　will　cost　you　from　three　to　four
  shillings；　wash　it　clean；　and　fill　it　with　clean　salt…water；　dipped
  out　of　any　pool　among　the　rocks；　only　looking　first　to　see　that
  there　is　no　dead　fish　or　other　evil　matter　in　the　said　pool；　and
  that　no　stream　from　the　land　runs　into　it。　　If　you　choose　to　take
  the　trouble　to　dip　up　the　water　over　a　boat's　side；　so　much　the
  better。
  So　much　for　your　vase；　now　to　stock　it。
  Go　down　at　low　spring…tide　to　the　nearest　ledge　of　rocks；　and　with
  a　hammer　and　chisel　chip　off　a　few　pieces　of　stone　covered　with
  growing　sea…weed。　　Avoid　the　common　and　coarser　kinds　（fuci）　which
  cover　the　surface　of　the　rocks；　for　they　give　out　under　water　a
  slime　which　will　foul　your　tank：　　but　choose　the　more　delicate
  species　which　fringe　the　edges　of　every　pool　at　low…water　mark；　the
  pink　coralline；　the　dark　purple　ragged　dulse　（Rhodymenia）；　the
  Carrageen　moss　（Chondrus）；　and　above　all；　the　commonest　of　all；　the
  delicate　green　Ulva；　which　you　will　see　growing　everywhere　in
  wrinkled　fan…shaped　sheets；　as　thin　as　the　finest　silver…paper。
  The　smallest　bits　of　stone　are　sufficient；　provided　the　sea…weeds
  have　hold　of　them；　for　they　have　no　real　roots；　but　adhere　by　a
  small　disc；　deriving　no　nourishment　from　the　rock；　but　only　from
  the　water。　　Take　care；　meanwhile；　that　there　be　as　little　as
  possible　on　the　stone；　beside　the　weed　itself。　　Especially　scrape
  off　any　small　sponges；　and　see　that　no　worms　have　made　their
  twining　tubes　of　sand　among　the　weed…stems；　if　they　have；　drag　them
  out；　for　they　will　surely　die；　and　as　surely　spoil　all　by
  sulphuretted　hydrogen；　blackness；　and　evil　smells。
  Put　your　weeds　into　your　tank；　and　settle　them　at　the　bottom；　which
  last；　some　say；　should　be　covered　with　a　layer　of　pebbles：　　but　let
  the　beginner　leave　it　as　bare　as　possible；　for　the　pebbles　only
  tempt　cross…grained　annelids　to　crawl　under　them；　die；　and　spoil
  all　by　decaying：　　whereas　if　the　bottom　of　the　vase　is　bare；　you
  can　see　a　sickly　or　dead　inhabitant　at　once；　and　take　him　out
  （which　you　must　do）　instantly。　　Let　your　weeds　stand　quietly　in　the
  vase　a　day　or　two　before　you　put　in　any　live　animals；　and　even
  then；　do　not　put　any　in　if　the　water　does　not　appear　perfectly
  clear：　　but　lift　out　the　weeds；　and　renew　the　water　ere　you　replace
  them。
  This　is　Mr。　Gosse's　method。　　But　Mr。　Lloyd；　in　his　〃Handbook　to　the
  Crystal　Palace　Aquarium；〃　advises　that　no　weed　should　be　put　into
  the　tank。　　〃It　is　better；〃　he　says；　〃to　depend　only　on　those　which
  gradually　and　naturally　appear　on　the　rocks　of　the　aquarium　by　the
  action　of　light；　and　which　answer　every　chemical　purpose。〃　　I
  should　advise　anyone　intending　to　set　up　an　aquarium；　however
  small；　to　study　what　Mr。　Lloyd　says　on　this　matter　in　pp。　17…19；
  and　also　in　page　30；　of　his　pamphlet；　and　also　to　go　to　the　Crystal
  Palace　Aquarium；　and　there　see　for　himself　the　many　beautiful
  species　of　sea…weeds　which　have　appeared　spontaneously　in　the　tanks
  from　unsuspected　spores　floating　in　the　sea…water。　　On　the　other
  hand；　Mr。　Lloyd　lays　much　stress　on　the　necessity　of　a塺ating　the
  water；　by　keeping　it　in　perpetual　motion；　a　process　not　easy　to　be
  carried　out　in　small　aquaria；　at　least　to　that　perfection　which　has
  been　attained　at　the　Crystal　Palace；　where　the　water　is　kept　in
  continual　circulation　by　steam…power。　　For　a　jar…aquarium；　it　will
  be　enough　to　drive　fresh　air　through　the　water　every　day；　by　means
  of　a　syringe。
  Now　for　the　live　stock。　　In　the　crannies　of　every　rock　you　will
  find　sea…anemones　（Actiniae）；　and　a　dozen　of　these　only　will　be
  enough　to　convert　your　little　vase　into　the　most　brilliant　of
  living　flower…gardens。　　There　they　hang　upon　the　under　side　of　the
  ledges；　apparently　mere　rounded　lumps　of　jelly：　　one　is　of　dark
  purple　dotted　with　green；　another　of　a　rich　chocolate；　another　of　a
  delicate　olive；　another　sienna…yellow；　another　all　but　white。　　Take
  them　from　their　rock；　you　can　do　it　easily　by　slipping　under　them
  your　finger…nail；　or　the　edge　of　a　pewter　spoon。　　Take　care　to　tear
  the　sucking　base　as　little　as　possible　（though　a　small　rent　they
  will　darn　for　themselves　in　a　few　days；　easily　enough；　and　drop
  them　into　a　basket　of　wet　sea…weed；　when　you　get　home　turn　them
  into　a　dish　full　of　water　and　leave　them　for　the　night；　and　go　to
  look　at　them　to…morrow。　　What　a　change！　　The　dull　lumps　of　jelly
  have　taken　root　and　flowered　during　the　night；　and　your　dish　is
  filled　from　side　to　side　with　a　bouquet　of　chrysanthemums；　each　has
  expanded　into　a　hundred…petalled　flower；　crimson；　pink；　purple；　or
  orange；　touch　one；　and　it　shrinks　together　like　a　sensitive　plant；
  displaying　at　the　root　of　the　petals　a　ring　of　brilliant　turquoise
  beads。　　That　is　the　commonest　of　all　the　Actiniae
  （Mesembryanthemum）；　you　may　have　him　when　and　where　you　will：　　but
  if　you　will　search　those　rocks　somewhat　closer；　you　will　find　even
  more　gorgeous　species　than　him。　　See　in　that　pool　some　dozen　large
  ones；　in　full　bloom；　and　quite　six　inches　across；　some　of　them。　　If
  their　cousins　whom　we　found　just　now　were　like　Chrysanthemums；
  these　are　like　quilled　Dahlias。　　Their　arms　are　stouter　and　shorter
  in　proportion　than　those　of　the　last　species；　but　their　colour　is
  equally　brilliant。　　One　is　a　brilliant　blood…red；　another　a
  delicate　sea…blue　striped　with　pink；　but　most　have　the　disc　and　the
  innumerable　arms　striped　and　ringed　with　various　shades　of　grey　and
  brown。　　Shall　we　get　them？　　By　all　means　if　we　can。　　Touch　one。
  Where　is　he　now？　　Gone？　　Vanished　into　air；　or　into　stone？　　Not
  quite。　　You　see　that　knot　of　sand　and　broken　shell　lying　on　the
  rock；　where　your　Dahlia　was　one　moment　ago。　　Touch　it；　and　you　will
  find　it　leathery　and　elastic。　　That　is　all　which　remains　of　the
  live　Dahlia。　　Never　mind；　get　your　finger　into　the　crack　under　him；
  work　him　gently　but　firmly　out；　and　take　him　home；　and　he　will　be
  as　happy　and　as　gorgeous　as　ever　to…morrow。
  Let　your　Actiniae　stand　for　a　day　or　two　in　the　dish；　and　then；
  picking　out　the　liveliest　and　handsomest；　detach　them　once　more
  from　their　hold；　drop　them　into　your　vase；　right　them　with　a　bit　of
  stick；　so　that　the　sucking　base　is　downwards；　and　leave　them　to
  themselves　thenceforth。
  These　two　species　（Mesembryanthemum　and　Crassicornis）　are　quite
  beautiful　enough　to　give　a　beginner　amusement：　　but　there　are　two
  others　which　are　not　uncommon；　and　of　such　exceeding　loveliness；
  that　it　is　worth　while　to　take　a　little　trouble　to　get　them。　　The
  one　is　Dianthus；　which　I　have　already　mentioned；　the　other　Bellis；
  the　sea…daisy；　of　which　there　is　an　excellent　description　and
  plates　in　Mr。　Gosse's　〃Rambles　in　Devon；〃　pp。　24　to　32。
  It　is　common　at　Ilfracombe；　and　at　Torquay；　and　indeed　everywhere
  where　there　are　cracks　and　small　holes　in　limestone　or　slate　rock。
  In　these　holes　it　fixes　its　base；　and　expands　its　delicate　brown…
  grey　star…like　flowers　on　the　surface：　　but　it　must　be　chipped　out
  with　hammer　and　chisel；　at　the　expense　of　much　dirt