242 H. J. WADDINGTON ON MARINE AQUARIA. 



usually considered as adverse to success, for all my Aquaria are 

 placed (from the force of circumstances) in what the books usually 

 tell us is the worse possible aspect, viz., south-west. They are in 

 a conservatory the temperature of which has frequently been 80° in 

 the summer months, and they are all of the wrong shape. 



The first consideration is the sea-water. This may be obtained 

 of most excellent quality of the Great Eastern Railway Company. 

 Since it has been supplied in wooden kegs I have always found it 

 brilliant to the last drop, and as the Company deliver three gallons 

 for sixpence within a reasonable distance the first difficulty is 

 readily got over. 



In starting a Marine Aquarium I proceed as follows : Procuring 

 a bell-glass of the required size I cut a piece of stout paper or 

 card that would slope at an angle of about 45° from the bottom 

 of the aquarium to about one inch from the top. The shape will be 

 something of this figure U . A piece of common stout glass must be 

 cut to this pattern, and this forms tha back of the aquarium. It 

 rests at the bottom on two wedge-shaped pieces of cork, two or 

 three similar pieces being placed between the edges of the glass and 

 the sides to relieve the pressure. The aquarium is now filled with 

 sea-water, a small piece of green sea-weed introduced, then covered 

 with a piece of fine muslin and exposed freely to light and air. 

 The stones or rockwork material are similarly exposed in another 

 vessel. In the course of a few days the inner surface of the 

 aquarium and the back and front of the piece of glass are covered 

 with vegetable growth. When this is in sufficient quantity the 

 water is emptied out, the part of the aquarium in front of the glass 

 plate carefully wiped clean, and the stones and rock placed in 

 position. When the water is returned to the aquarium it should 

 be poured down the clean side so as not to disturb the vegetation. 

 Two strips of paper are to be pasted at the exact level of the 

 water, on opposite sides, to enable the amount of evaporation to 

 be seen, and compensated for by the addition of fresh water. The 

 aquarium, assuming it to be kept for Actinia, should always be closely 

 covered with a piece of glass overlapping the edges by half-an-inch. 

 This cannot be too strongly insisted on. If it is required to start 

 an additional small aquarium for any purpose, as for isolating 

 individual specimens, it is only necessary to remove a few stones 

 covered with vegetation from the larger aquarium, and to use the 

 water which has become established in this, replacing it by fresh 



