glaucus-or the wonders of the shore(格劳高斯)-第26章
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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
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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
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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 and patience； for the moment it is
touched it contracts deep into the rock； and all that is left of the daisy
flower； some two or three inches across； is a blue knot of half the size of
a marble。 But it will expand again； after a day or two of captivity； and
will repay all the trouble which it has cost。 Troglodytes may be found；
as I have said already； in hundreds at Hastings； in similar situations to
that of Bellis； its only token； when the tide is down； being a round
dimple in the muddy sand which firs the lower cracks of rocks。
But you will want more than these anemones； both for your own
amusement； and for the health of your tank。 Microscopic animals will
breed； and will also die； and you need for them some such scavenger as
our poor friend Squinado； to whom you were introduced a few pages
back。 Turn； then； a few stones which lie piled on each other at extreme
low…water mark； and five minutes' search will give you the very animal
you want； … a little crab； of a dingy russet above； and on the under side
like smooth porcelain。 His back is quite flat； and so are his large
angular fringed claws； which； when he folds them up； lie in the same
plane with his shell； and fit neatly into its edges。 Compact little rogue
that he is； made especially for sidling in and out of cracks and crannies；
he carries with him such an apparatus of combs and brushes as Isidor
or Floris never dreamed of； with which he sweeps out of the sea… water at
every moment shoals of minute animalcules； and sucks them into his
tiny mouth。 Mr。 Gosse will tell you more of this marvel； in his
〃Aquarium；〃 p。 48。
Next； your sea…weeds； if they thrive as they ought to do； will sow
their minute spores in millions around them； and these； as they vegetate；
will form a green film on the inside of the glass； spoiling your prospect：
you may rub it off for yourself； if you will； with a rag fastened to a stick；
but if you wish at once to save yourself trouble； and to see how all
emergencies in nature are provided for； you will set three or four live
shells to do it for you； and to keep your sub…aqueous lawn close mown。
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That last word is no figure of speech。 Look among the beds of sea…
weed for a few of the bright yellow or green sea…snails （Nerita）； or
Conical Tops （Trochus）； especially that beautiful pink one spotted with
brown （Ziziphinus）； which you are sure to find about shaded rock…ledges
at dead low tide； and put them into your aquarium。 For the present；
they will only nibble the green ulvae； but when the film of young weed
begins to form； you will see it mown off every morning as fast as it
grows； in little semicircular sweeps； just as if a fairy's scythe had been at
work during the night。
And a scythe has been at work； none other than the tongue of the
little shell…fish； a description of its extraordinary mechanism （too long to
quote here； but which is well worth reading） may be found in Gosse's
〃Aquarium。〃 （32）
A prawn or two； and a few minute star…fish； will make your aquarium
complete； though you may add to it endlessly； as one glance at the salt…
water tanks of the Zoological Gardens； and the strange and beautiful
forms which they contain； will prove to you sufficiently。
You have two more enemies to guard against； dust； and heat。 If the
surface of the water becomes clogged with dust； the communication
between it and the life…giving oxygen of the air is cut off； and then your
animals are liable to die； for the very same reason that fish die in a pond
which is long frozen over； unless a hole be broken in the ice to admit the
air。 You must guard against this by occasional stirring of the surface； or；
as I have already said； by syringing and by k
