glaucus-or the wonders of the shore(格劳高斯)-第30部分
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bottom。 With these simple precautions； anything which you are likely
to find will well endure forty…eight hours of travel。
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What if the water fails； after all？
Then Mr。 Gosse's artificial sea…water will form a perfect substitute。
You may buy the requisite salts （for there are more salts than 〃salt〃 in
sea…water） from any chemist to whom Mr。 Gosse has entrusted his
discovery； and； according to his directions； make sea…water for yourself
One more hint before we part。 If； after all； you are not going down
to the sea…side this year； and have no opportunities of testing 〃the
wonders of the shore；〃 you may still study Natural History in your own
drawing…room； by looking a little into 〃the wonders of the pond。〃
I am not jesting； a fresh…water aquarium； though by no means as
beautiful as a salt…water one； is even more easily established。 A glass
jar； floored with two or three inches of pond…mud （which should be
covered with fine gravel to prevent the mud washing up）； a specimen of
each of two water…plants which you may buy now at any good shop in
Covent Garden； Vallisneria spiralis （which is said to give to the Canvas…
backed duck of America its peculiar richness of flavour）； and Anacharis
alsinastrum； that magical weed which； lately introduced from Canada
among timber； has multiplied； self… sown； to so prodigious an extent； that
it bid fair； a few years since； to choke the navigation not only of our
canals and fen… rivers； but of the Thames itself： （34） or； in default of
these； some of the more delicate pond…weeds； such as Callitriche；
Potamogeton pusillum； and； best of all； perhaps； the beautiful Water…
Milfoil （Myriophyllium）； whose comb…like leaves are the haunts of
numberless rare and curious animalcules：… these （in themselves； from the
transparency of their circulation； interesting microscopic objects） for
oxygen…breeding vegetables； and for animals； the pickings of any pond；
a minnow or two； an eft； a few of the delicate pond…snails （unless they
devour your plants too rapidly）： water…beetles； of activity
inconceivable； and that wondrous bug the Notonecta； who lies on his
back all day； rowing about his boat…shaped body； with one long pair of
oars； in search of animalcules； and the moment the lights are out； turns
head over heels； rights himself； and opening a pair of handsome wings；
starts to fly about the dark room in company with his friend the water…
beetle； and （I suspect） catch flies； and then slips back demurely into the
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water with the first streak of dawn。 But perhaps the most interesting of
all the tribes of the Naiads； … （in default； of course； of those semi…human
nymphs with which our Teutonic forefathers； like the Greeks； peopled
each 〃sacred fountain；〃） … are the little 〃water…crickets；〃 which may be
found running under the pebbles； or burrowing in little galleries in the
banks： and those 〃caddises；〃 which crawl on the bottom in the stiller
waters； enclosed； all save the head and legs； in a tube of sand or pebbles；
shells or sticks； green or dead weeds； often arranged with quaint
symmetry； or of very graceful shape。 Their aspect in this state may be
somewhat uninviting； but they compensate for their youthful ugliness by
the strangeness of their transformations； and often by the delicate beauty
of the perfect insects； as the 〃caddises；〃 rising to the surface； become
flying Phryganeae （caperers and sand… flies）； generally of various shades
of fawn…colour； and the water… crickets （though an unscientific eye may be
able to discern but little difference in them in the 〃larva；〃 or imperfect
state） change into flies of the most various shapes； … one； perhaps； into
the great sluggish olive 〃Stone…fly〃 （Perla bicaudata）； another into the
delicate lemon…coloured 〃Yellow Sally〃 （Chrysoperla viridis）； another
into the dark chocolate 〃Alder〃 （Sialis lutaria）： and the majority into
duns and drakes （Ephemerae）； whose grace of form； and delicacy of
colour； give them a right to rank among the most exquisite of God's
creations； from the tiny 〃Spinners〃 （Ba 塼 is or Chloron） of incandescent
glass； with gorgeous rainbow…coloured eyes； to the great Green Drake
（Ephemera vulgata）； known to all fishermen as the prince of trout…flies。
These animals； their habits； their miraculous transformations； might give
many an hour's quiet amusement to an invalid； laid on a sofa； or
imprisoned in a sick…room； and debarred from reading； unless by some
such means； any page of that great green book outside； whose pen is the
finger of God； whose covers are the fire kingdoms and the star kingdoms；
and its leaves the heather…bells； and the polypes of the sea； and the gnats
above the summer stream。
I said just now； that happy was the sportsman who was also a
naturalist。 And； having once mentioned these curious water…flies； I
cannot help going a little farther； and saying； that lucky is the fisherman
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who is also a naturalist。 A fair scientific knowledge of the flies which
he imitates； and of their habits； would often ensure him sport； while
other men are going home with empty creels。 One would have fancied
this a self…evident fact； yet I have never found any sound knowledge of
the natural water…flies which haunt a given stream； except among
cunning old fishermen of the lower class； who get their living by the
gentle art； and bring to indoors baskets of trout killed on flies； which
look as if they had been tied with a pair of tongs； so rough and ungainly
are they； but which； nevertheless； kill； simply because they are （in
COLOUR； which is all that fish really care for） exact likenesses of some
obscure local species； which happen to be on the water at the time。
Among gentlemen…fishermen； on the other hand； so deep is the
ignorance of the natural fly； that I have known good sportsmen still
under the delusion that the great green May…fly comes out of a caddis…
bait； the gentlemen having never seen； much less fished with； that most
deadly bait the 〃Water…cricket；〃 or free creeping larva of the May…fly；
which may be found in May under the river… banks。 The consequence of
this ignorance is that they depend for good patterns of flies on mere
chance and experiment； and that the shop patterns； originally excellent；
deteriorate continually； till little or no likeness to their living prototype
remains； being tied by town girls； who have no more understanding of
what the feathers and mohair in their hands represent than they have of
what the National Debt represents。 Hence follows many a failure at the
stream…side； because the 〃Caperer；〃 or 〃Dun；〃 or 〃Yellow Sally；〃 which
is produced from the fly…book； though； possibly； like the brood which
came out three years since on some stream a hundred miles away； is
quite unlike the brood which is out to…day on one's own river。 For not
only do most of these flies vary in colour in different soils and climates；
but many of them change their hue during life； the Ephemerae；
especially； have a habit of throwing off the whole of their skins （even；
marvellously enough； to the skin of the eyes and wings； and the delicate
〃whisks〃 at their tail）； and appearing in an utterly new garb after ten
minutes' rest； to the discomfiture of the astonished angler。
The natural history of these flies； I understand from Mr。 Stainton
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（one of our most distinguished entomologists）； has not yet been worked
out； at least for England。 The only attempt； I believe； in that direction
is one made by a charming
