54 



i''lG 9 — ^tiai/. 







Anima/s that may be kept in aquaria. — The snail. The common 

 pond snail willi the spiral shell, either flat or conical, can be found 

 clinging to the stems of the cat-tails or flags and to floating rubbish 



in ponds or swamps. If these are picked o(T 

 carefully and taken home in a pail of water 

 they will be valuable inhabitants for the aqua- 

 rium. They are vegetable feeders and unless 

 there is some green slime in the water, cabbage 

 or lettuce leaves can be put where the snails 

 can get them. The eggs of the snail are 

 excellent food for fishes, and if a few could be 

 secured for special study, their form, habits and development can be 

 made delightful observation and drawing 

 lessons. Snails can be kept out of the 

 water for some time on moist earth. 

 Land snails and slugs should be kept 

 on wet sand and fed with lettuce and 

 cabbage leaves. The common slug of 

 the garden is often injurious to vegetation. 

 It can always be tracked by the trail of 

 slime it leaves behind it. Gardeners 

 often protect plants by sprinkling wood- 

 ashes about them. 



Minnows. — Every boy knows where 

 to find these spry little fellows. They 

 can be collected with a dipper or net 

 and will thrive in an aquarium if fed 

 with worms, flies, or other insects. If 

 kept in small quarters where food is scarce 

 they will soon dispatch the other occu- 

 pants of the jar. They will, however, eat 



bits of fresh meat. If the aquarium is large enough it would hardly 

 be complete without minnows. 



Catjish. — It will not be practicable to keep a catfish in the per- 

 manent aquarium. If one is to be studied it can be obtained at any 

 fish market or by angling, a slow method, but one which will appeal 

 to every boy in the class. It should be kept in a tub, tank, or large 

 pan of water, and if not wanted for laboratory work, it might be fried 

 for lunch, as catfish are very good eating. 





Fig. io. — Snail with conical 

 shell. 



