possible to place a fragment o f any Conferva under the microscope,
Avithout perceiving some of the numerous forms of life
AvluclulAvell amongst its filaments; and the structure of many of
Avhich is so beautifully adapted to the Avants of the creatures,
and to tlie existence Avhich they arc destined to lead, as to
raise in the mind of the beholder the liveliest feelings of
admiration.
I he second purpose to AA^hlch the Conferva arc subservient
is one o f great importance, being the purification
o f the fluid in Avhich they dAvell, laden, as it frequently is,
Avith various deleterious gases, arising from the death and
decomposition o f various animal and vegetable substances;
thus deriving their OAvn origin, for the most part, in the
midst o f impurity, they are the agents employed in removing
this impurity, Avhich salutary office they perform in the
folloAving way. Amongst the most noxious o f these gases to
animal life are carbonic acid and carburetted hydrogen; now
carbon, the base of these, constitutes the pabulum, or food, of
plants. These tAvo gases, then, the Conferva decompose,
retaining the carbon for their own support, and setting free
the oxygen and hydrogen; thus not merely decomposing and
removing Avhat is hurtful, but restoring to the water oxygen,
the essential to all animal life whether found in air or water.
Seeing, then, the important purpose Avhich these apparently
frail and insignificant productions fulfil, Avho is there who
would venture to remove even this one small and remote link
from the chain o f Nature’s Avorks, and Avould be answerable
for the consequences of its removal? Who can tell what
baneful influence might not arise, and spread disease and death
through whole districts? a calamity which, even as things
are noAV ordained, is occasionally permitted to overtake us.
Should any individual be sceptical as to the influence o f
these productions, and whether a respiration of the kind I
have alluded to, and attended with the same results, really
occurs, let him put into a tumbler of water a little of the
first Conferva which he may meet with in his next ramble,
and, placing it in the rays o f the sun, watch it for a short
time ; he Avill soon observe globules of a gas, at first small,
but soon becoming larger, to collect upon the surface of the
filaments, Avhich, Avhen they have attained a sufficient size,
Avill quit their attachment, rise to the surface of the Avater,
and at last lose themselves in the surrounding air. This
Avill, I think, satisfy him that a respiration of some kind is
carried on ; and should he Avish to ascertain the nature of the
gas thus eliminated, whether it be really oxygen or not, this
may be done by procuring a considerable quantity of any
floating species of Conferva, and placing it in a trough of
water, over which should be put a glass jar also filled with
Avater, having an air-tight collar adapted to it, so disposed as
to catch the gaseous globules as they ascend. As soon as
the glass jar becomes filled with the gas, let the air-tight
collar be removed and a piece of ignited phosphorus be
quickly plunged into the interior of the jar, when the brilliant
and dazzling combustion which will instantaneously ensue
will afford a proof conclusive of the nature of the elimination.
The honour of this discovery, if it can be deemed one, for it
is but the extended application of the common principle of
the respiration of plants generally, is in this country attributed
to Priestley ; but so obvious is it that it scarcely required
the penetration of a mind like his for its detection :
Vaucher alludes to it cursorily.
The third use of the Conferva is a moral one. Every
created thing, rightly viewed, is capable of imparting this
moral lesson, be it the kingly lion or the spurned reptile;
the beautiful and scented flower, or the more humble productions
which have been engaging our attention. There is
no imperfection acknowledged in nature, nor are there,
strictly, degrees of comparison; everything is superlative,
is best and perfect from the hands of God who made it, alike
unsurpassable and inimitable.
Then, lastly, there is the intellectual benefit derived by those
who study this or any branch of Nature’s works. There are
those who regard the pursuits of natural history as trivial and
tending to no useful purpose ; but these are but superficial ob-
T*