John Harper

“ Now, whether we look at the singular skill of the bird building its nest, the hen sitting near and protecting its brood, or the cat grasping her young in its jaws, and carrying them home in safety, we shall find that all these charming traits are wonderfully combined in one of the humblest members of the finny tribe, viz., the common stickleback,—the little creature that boys catch by thousands with a worm and a pin,—that lives equally content in the clear blue sea or the muddy fresh water pool. ”

“ The shells of either 'Buckie' is covered with myriads of quicksilver globules, that rest on the tips of the young and rising vegetation like dew upon the bladed grass. As I write, upon the inner surface of the water, like a fly upon the ceiling of a room, an Eolis and two pearly white Dorides lie idly floating in close companionship. Beneath them, upon the verge of the aperture of a large empty whelk shell, sits a pretty, cream-coloured Plumose Anemone (A. dianthus) . ”

“ No one can look without wonder upon that goodly array of knights and noble warriors, nor help an involuntary sigh over the degeneracy of modern humanity. Though the figures before us are technically and irreverently termed 'dummies,' the hardened shell with which their body and limbs are cased we know has felt the throb of many a true English heart, maybe, glistened beneath the sun at Cressy and Agincourt, or perhaps on the bloody fields of Worcester and Marston Moor. ”

“ It is very curious, as well as true, that this animal has in a far higher degree than other crustaceans, a gravity of demeanour, and a profound style of doing everything, that always excites our irreverent laughter, but at the same time leaves an impression that, if justice were done, the animal ought to hold a higher position in the marine world than a scavenger and devourer of ocean garbage. If Maia and C. mænas be both eating out of the same dish, in the shape of an open mussel, the former seems ever inclined to admonish his companion upon greediness and want of manners. ”

“ You have the eyes of a lynx or of an Argus; you are guided by a secret and unerring principle, delighting in everything that may be beneficial to you, and avoiding everything that may be hurtful; you are carried on by a hidden instinct to preserve yourselves, and to propagate your species; you obey, in all your actions, works, and motions, the dictates and suggestions of nature, without the least repugnance or contradiction. ”

“ A stranger could scarcely believe, on looking into an aquarium, that the lovely object before him, seated motionless at the base of the vessel, with tentacula expanded in all directions, was not a simple daisy newly plucked from the mountain side, or it may be a blooming marigold or Anemone from some rich parterre—instead of being, in reality, a living, moving, animal-flower. ”

“ Nay, even the trembling lark that mounts upwards as my shadow falls upon its nest among the clover, is not a more pleasant object to my eye, than the crustaceous hermit, who rushes within his borrowed dwelling at the sound of footsteps. In fact, the latter considerably more excites my kindly sympathies, from its mysterious curse of helplessness. It cannot run from danger, but can only hide itself within its shelly burden, and trust to chance for protection. ”

“ An examination of engravings of the shells, or even of the Pholas itself, when lying loose in the tank, or quietly seated in the rock, extending and retracting its siphons, fails to give one the slightest idea of its extraordinary appearance when enlarging its dwelling. At such times it seems to be a totally different animal, and to have suddenly acquired a most marvellous degree of power, energy, and perseverance, forming a striking contrast to its usual quiet, passive habits. ”

“ Yet, on the other hand, strange to say, the crab is always on the hunt after tit-bits; and nothing seems to give him greater delight than a good morning meal, in the shape of a newly opened Mussel, Cockle, and above all—a Pholas. Let a youthful crustacean cast its shell, and rest assured, unless its companions have had their appetites appeased, they will endeavour to fall upon and devour the defenceless animal. ”

“ Should one of the little fishlings stray beyond the prescribed bounds, the watchful parent darts after it, and in an instant his jaws close over the wanderer apparently for ever, but in fact only for a time, for swimming quickly back the old fish puffs out the straggler into its nest lively and uninjured. ”

“ I have frequently been amused to observe the singular phenomenon of each animal coming to the side of the vase and rocking his body to and fro, in apparent delight at the exercise of my vocal abilities, just as when a pleasing melody is being played in the concert room, we bend backwards and forwards, and beat time to the tune. ”

“ To satisfy curiosity, take one of the captured specimens and drop it in the sand that surrounds the cavity in which your skill as a shrimper has been exercised, and I will venture to assert that, in an instant, the little creature will have disappeared as if by magic—such is the wonderful rapidity with which the shrimp burrows itself. Even when lying upon the surface a practised eye is required to detect the presence of a shrimp, in consequence of its colour being of the exact shade of the sand in which it hides. ”

“ Beside them were lying confused heaps of sea-slugs, evidently exhausted with their hatching exertions. Anything more repulsive to the eye than those animal heaps exhibited it would be difficult to conceive. Yet, at the same time, I know of no sight more pleasing than to watch the Doris in its healthy state, gliding along with outspread plume on the under surface of the water, or up the sides of the tank, more especially if it be observed through a powerful hand lens. ”

“ For miles and miles we may walk over the stony fragments of the Crinoidae, fragments which were once built up in animated forms, encased in living flesh, and obeying the will of creatures among the loveliest of the inhabitants of the ocean. Even in their present disjointed and petrified state, they excite the admiration not only of the naturalist, but of the common gazer ”

“ To protect this delicate member from the attacks of his voracious companions, the poor Pagurus is compelled to hunt about for some Univalve, such as a Whelk or Trochus, and having found this, he drops his tail within the aperture and hooks it firmly to the columella of the shell. Why Providence has doomed the poor Hermits to descend to such physical hypocrisy, and clothe themselves in the left-off garments of other animals, it is not easy to conjecture. ”

“ If any foe approaches, Pinnotheres flies for protection with his utmost speed to the anxious bosom of his friend, who, being thus warned of danger, closes his valves, and escapes the threatened attack. When, on the contrary, the crab loads himself with booty, he makes a gentle noise at the opening of the shell, which is closed during his absence, and on admission, this curious pair fraternize, and feast on the fruits of the little one's foray. ”

“ French salt sellers thus enjoy the height of protection; they are protected even from their colossal competitor, the sea!'
I do not know a prettier sight than that exhibited by a healthy aquarium on a fine summer's day; the effect of the sunshine upon it being to cause innumerable bubbles of oxygen—that look like balls of quicksilver—to form on every weed, shell, and smallest pebble. On looking through the transparent sides of the vessel, small particles hitherto resting on its base, may be seen slowly arising to the surface of the water, each buoyed up by a miniature gas balloon. ”

“ I have already mentioned the extreme difficulty there is in expelling a Lobster-Crab. This, be it understood, applies only to the animal in good health; for no sooner does he feel sick than he instantly leaves his shell, and crawls about in a most pitiable plight. ”

“ I have noticed a singular fact in connection with the Blenny—namely, that they do not all increase in size as they grow older. Out of five that I kept domesticated for more than two years, one specimen remained at the end of that period of the same size as when I first made its acquaintance in a rock-pool by the sea-shore, while its companions had greatly increased their proportions. But let me in justice add, that if my little finny pet failed to increase in corpulency, it gained largely in intelligence. ”

“ On closer inspection this growth appeared to consist of a multitude of feathery plumes, about one-sixteenth of an inch in height, and individually of so fine and transparent a texture as to be scarcely discernible to the unassisted sight. On touching one with the point of a fine needle it would instantly shrink up into a small but dense mass, like a ball of white cotton—scarcely so large as a fine grain of sand. ”

“ If the reader has been struck at what has been said in regard to the exuviation of crabs, &c., he will probably be more surprised when I state that precisely the same phenomena take place in the simple Acorn Barnacle, that studs in countless numbers almost every rock and shell situated between tide marks. No one can visit the sea-shore, at certain localities, without noticing the white spots which constitute the shells of the cirripeds in question, although he may not be acquainted with the marvellous beauty of the animal contained within each. ”

“ In conclusion, let me mention that it is an error to suppose, as many persons do, that putrid water alone contains life. Infusoria occur, as before hinted, in the clear waters of the ocean, in the water that we drink daily, and also in the limpid burn that flows through our valleys, or trickles like a silver thread down the mountain side. ”

“ Now, many fishermen with whom I have conversed hold the same opinion as Bishop Spratt, and believe that when the oyster is gaping the Star-fish insinuates a finger, and hastily scrapes out the delicious mouthful; nay, further maintain that the Star-fish is far from being successful at all times, very often, especially when there has only been one ray inserted, the frightened oyster grasps it with all his might, and obliges his discomfited opponent to retire minus a limb. ”

“ After the lapse of a few days, on looking into the tank, I was delighted to perceive the lace-like tentacula of the actinia spread out on the surface of the water, which had become more muddy-looking than before.
I soon discovered that the impurity in question [55] arose from the Aplysia (whose presence in the tank I had forgotten) having died, and its body being allowed to remain in the vessel in a decaying state. The deceased animal on being removed emitted an effluvium so intolerably bad that it seemed like the concentrated essence of vile odours. ”

“ The Five Bearded Rockling is almost as great a favourite with the writer as the Smooth Blenny. It is a very pretty fish, and may be easily tamed. In the course of a week I trained one to feed out of my hand, and when I put my finger in the water the fish would rub against it with its head, just as a favourite cat frequently does against the leg of a person with whom it is very familiar; moreover, if I moved the intruding digit with a circular motion through the water, the Rockling would waltz round the tip with evident signs of pleasure. ”

“ The poor Blennies speedily showed signs of distress, and changed colour, as they generally do, upon the most trifling cause. Instead of dark brown or black, their bodies appeared of a yellowish tint, spotted with white. Such a change was lovely to the eye, but, alas! it was—
'The loveliness in death,
Which parts not quite with parting breath.'
The little creatures jumped and dived about in all directions, all their motions being extremely violent. ”

“ Speaking with due caution and in the gentlest manner possible, consistent with truth, I must say that this crab is, without exception, one of the dirtiest-looking animals I have ever met with in my zoological researches. At a by no means hasty glance, he appears to be miraculously built up of mud, hair, and grit on every part, except his claws, which are long and sharp as those of any bird of prey. ”

“ During the entire process the animal appeared to use scarcely any exertion whatever, certainly not half so much as any human being would exhibit in throwing off the most trifling garment. In fact, the crab seemed to swell painlessly, and gently roll or glide out in a kind of ball. Until it had completely escaped from its old shell, I was somewhat puzzled to guess what shape it would eventually assume. The eyes and antennæ, so soon as they left their old sheaths, commenced, together with the flabellæ, to work as usual, although as yet they were still inside the exuvium. ”

“ A glass syringe to aerate the water occasionally, a camel-hair pencil, an ivory crotchet pin, and a pair of gutta percha forceps, complete the whole machinery of the aquarium, the cost of which is so trifling that the poorest person might manage to procure them.
One great point in favour of an aquarium, and one by no means generally understood is, that having once filled the tank with salt water, it will last for months, and even years, if proper care be taken, without requiring one particle of sea-water to be again added ”

“ Ball, who writes from personal observation, apparently confirms beyond a doubt, the annual moult of Crustacea. This gentleman, we learn, kept a Cray-fish alive for two years in a vase, and found that during each year its exuvium was shed but once.
It may readily be believed, with such a formidable array of contrary evidence, that I offer my own observations with modesty. But at the same time, I feel justified in confidently stating that the moult of the crab, (in its comparatively youthful state, at all events) , takes place not only once, but many times during each year of its existence. ”

“ Yet in no single instance have I witnessed a small crab sacrificed to the gluttony of a small anemone.
With regard to A. mesembryanthemum, A. bellis, and A. dianthus, they get so accustomed to the presence of their crusty neighbours, as not to retract their expanded tentacula when a hermit crab, for instance, drags his lumbering mansion across, or a fiddler crab steps through the delicate rays, like a sky terrier prancing over a bed of tulips.
Thus much I have felt myself called upon to say in defence of certain species of Actiniæ ”