262 AETIFICIAL SEA-WATEE. 



water, wlilcli by its astringency converts tlie animal 

 integuments into leather ; if the water on coming out 

 of the cask has a brown tinge, without interfering 

 with its transparency, this is suspicious. If yon 

 cannot get any other than an oak cask, let it be well 

 seasoned for two or three weeks before it is used, by 

 filling it with water (fresh or salt) , changed every day. 

 For smaller quantities of water, large jars of stone- 

 ware are the best, being fr-ee from every objection 

 arising from liability to taint or tinge. Both casks 

 and jars can be easily sent by railway to any part of 

 ihe kingdom ; and pm-e water will not spoil by delay. 



ARTIFICIAL SEA-WATER. 



In July, 1854, I published the following communi- 

 cation in the " Annals and Magazine of Natm-al 

 History." 



" On manufactured Sea-water for the Aquarium, 



" The inconvenience, delay, and expense attendant 

 upon the procuring of sea-water, from the coast or 

 from the ocean, I had long ago felt to be a great 

 difficulty in the way of a general adoption of the 

 Marine Aquarium. Even in London it is an awkward 

 and precarious matter ; how much more in inland 

 towns and country places, where it must always prove 

 not only an hindrance, but to the many an insuperable 

 objection. The thought had occurred to me, that, as 

 the constituents of sea- water are known, it might be 

 practicable to manufacture it ; since all that seemed 



