THE MARINE TANK.

[Chapter I.—The Vessel]53

Points in which the Marine differs from the River Tank—Stained Glass.

[Chapter II.—Fitting-up]56

The Bottom—Rocks, Arches, and Caves—The Water—Artificial Sea Water—Marine Salts—Management of Artificial Water—Caution to the Uninitiated—Filtering.

[Chapter III.—Collecting Specimens]66
[Chapter IV.—The Plants]69
[Chapter V.—The Animals]71

Fishes—Mollusks—Annelides—Zoophytes—Actinia Mesembryanthemum—Anguicoma, Bellis, Gemmacea, Crassicornis, Parasitica, Dianthus, &c.

[Chapter VI.—What is an Anemone?]84

Grouping of Objects—Sulphuretted Hydrogen—Preservation of the Water—Aeration—Filter—Decay of Plants—Death of Anemones—Removal of Objects—Density of the Water—Green Stain—Feeding—The Syphon—Purchase of Specimens.

[Chapter VII.—General Management]91

THE WATER CABINET.

[Chapter I.—Construction of Cabinets]101

Distinctions between the Cabinet and the Aquarium—Construction of a Cabinet—Glasses.

[Chapter II.—Collecting and Arranging Specimens]106

Implements for Collecting—Nets, Jars, and Phials—Pond Fishing.

[Chapter III.—The Stock]110
[Chapter IV.—Larva]114

The Dragon Fly—The Gnat—The Case Fly.

[Chapter V.—Coleoptera]130

Dytiscus Marginalis—Hydrous Piceus—Colymbetes—Gyrinus Natator.

[Chapter VI.—Heteroptera]139

Hydrometra—Notanecta, Nepa, &c.

[Chapter VII.—The Frog—Notes on Management]140

LIST OF ENGRAVINGS.

Cabinet AquariumFrontispiece.
Tank containing Vallisneria Spiralis, Anacharis, Gold Carp, Roach, and MinnowPage [11]
Vase Aquarium[15]
Callitriche[22]
Stratoides Aloides[24]
Vallisneria Spiralis[25]
Myriophyllum Spicatum[27]
Potamogeton Densus[28]
Ranunculus Aquatalis[30]
Hydrocaris Morsus Ranæ[31]
Tank containing Gudgeon, Prussian Carp, Loach, and Bream[33]
Tank containing Minnow, Tench, and Perch[41]
Tank containing Planorbis Corneus, Paludina Vivipara, Lymnea Stagnalis, Unio Pictorum, Tumidus, and Anodon Cygneus[45]
Cleansing Sponge[50]
Actinia Mesembryanthemum, Dictyota Dychotoma[64]
Porcellana Platycheles, and Cancer Pagurus[72]
Carcinas Mænas[73]
Actinia Anguicoma, Trochus Ziziphinus, Ulva Latissima, Bryopsis Plumosa, Acorn Barnacle[75]
Actinia Bellis and Gemmacea, Delesseria Alata, Polysiphonia Urceolata[76]
Actinia Dianthus, Delesseria Sanguinea, Callithamnium Roseum, Griffithsia Setacea[82]
Edwardsia Vestita, Æsop Prawn, Enteromorpha Compressa, Ulva Latissima[86]
Dipping Tube[96]
Syphon[99]
Hand Net[107]
Diving Spiders and Nests[112]
Transformation of the Dragon Fly[120]
Virgin and Green Dragon Flies[122]
Larva of the Gnat[124]
Larva of Stratiomys[125]
Larvæ and Imago of Case Fly[128]
Grating of Case Worm, Magnified[129]
Dytiscus and Larva, Reduced[132]
Hydrous Piceus[134]
Colymbetes[135]
Gyrinus Natator[137]
Gyrinus, Magnified[138]
Water Scorpion[142]
Transformations of the Tadpole[144], [145]
Pocket Lens[147]

PREFACE.

Every day adds to the popularity of the Aquarium, but every day does not add to the accuracy of the published descriptions of it, or the perspicuity of the directions everywhere given for its formation and maintenance. Lately the periodical press has teemed with essays on the subject; but it does not require a very close scrutiny for the practical man to discern that a majority of such papers express the enthusiasm rather than the knowledge of their authors—a few weeks' management of a tank seeming to be considered a sufficient qualification for the expounding of its philosophy, though it demands an acquaintance with the minutest details of the most refined departments of botany and zoology to do anything like justice to it.

I have done my best to explain and illustrate the whole rationale of marine and fresh-water tanks in my lately published work, Rustic Adornments for Homes of Taste; but since that work, owing to the expense incurred in its production, is published at a price which every lover of the Aquarium cannot command, I have thought it no less a duty than a pleasure to treat the subject more briefly, but still practically, and I hope profitably, in a volume of less dimensions and less cost, written for another class of readers.