Page:The aquarium - an unveiling of the wonders of the deep sea.djvu/75

44 of its human occupants. We found it snugly lodged in small cavities on the under sides of the loose-lying stones, which however it was assuredly innocent of having excavated. One more: the elegant Cyclostome (Cyclostoma elegans) was likewise numerous, perhaps the most interesting of all. The late warm rains had drawn it from its winter quarters, and it was now crawling by scores over the twigs and leaves, with its spiral shelly operculum carried behind. The mode in which this pretty mollusk proceeds is very curious: for the under surface of the foot, which is long, is divided by a deep fissure into two parallel ribbons, which take hold of the twig alternately, one portion making good its hold while the other is advanced in turn.

But the rain at length began to come down in earnest, and as our scientific zeal had been but poorly supported by success, it gave in; and, succumbing to the storm, we retreated to the cabin of the Steamer, which soon disgorged us dripping on Weymouth Quay.

A very learned zoologist and very charming writer, for whose writings I entertain the highest respect, says;—"It is folly and vanity to attempt to account for all facts in nature, or to pretend to say why the Great Creator made this thing, and why He made that, and to discover in every creature a reason for its peculiar organization. It is but another form of the same vanity, having satisfied itself of the discoveries it has made, to pretend to praise the All-wise Maker's wisdom in so organizing his creatures. That God is