TERRARIA 149 



terraria, pumice or other porous stone will be found useful, as it retains 

 so much moisture and makes a good foothold for ferns and creeping 

 plants. 



An aqua-terrarium constructed for pictorial effect is made in the 

 form of an ordinary aquarium with terrestrial plants arranged in the rear 

 corners, thus giving the effect of a complete bit of landscape. The great 

 possibilities of this treatment are shown in the illustration on page 145. 

 This has the earth in slate containers reaching all the way to the bottom, 

 but in a form devised later the soil is in cement pans 6 inches deep 

 which are hung by hooks on the top edge of the aquarium proper, 

 thus giving more light at the bottom of the aquarium. 



Swamp aquaria have received little attention, although they can be 

 made very picturesque, as will be seen in Fig. 114. 



Plants. Most of the plants flourishing in greenhouses will prosper 

 in the moist terrarium, so that the selection is very large. The dry 

 terrarium is much more limited in this respect, the possibilities being 

 confined practically to cacti, agaves, aloes, houseleeks and certain hardy 

 ferns which have come from dry situations. 



Planting. The main point in planting the terrarium is to procure 

 proper drainage by the use of pebbles or broken charcoal. Plants can be 

 set either directly in soil above the pebbles or in pots. Fertilizer may be 

 used in the lower part of soil, but very sparingly in moist terraria. In 

 planting it is well to keep in mind the natural surroundings of the animals 

 and to provide, so far as possible, those conditions which are agreeable to 

 their natures. For instance, the reptiles like to sun themselves in open, 

 dry spots, and in planting this can easily be arranged. Amphibious 

 animals like to secrete themselves and at times hide from the light in 

 thick vegetation, a provision easily made in the moist terrarium. These 

 same considerations will present themselves when it comes to selecting a 

 place for the terrarium. The snakes delight to sun themselves for hours, 

 so in planting it is well to use only such plants that will stand plenty of 

 direct sunlight. Terraria have one important advantage over aquaria in 

 that at least the smaller sizes may be shifted from one place to another 

 with very little effort, so that light conditions may be changed at will and 

 hours of sunshine increased as opportunity offers. 



Occupants for Terraria. The large majority of cold-blooded animals 

 of suitable sizes may be introduced. In the moist terrarium the principal 

 animals used are young alligators, newts, salamanders, tadpoles, frogs, 

 water snakes, turtles, aquatic insects and their larvae. For the dry ter- 

 rarium we have tree toads, hop toads, horned toads, beetles, spiders, 

 lizards, chameleons, tortoises, snakes, butterflies, moths and other insects. 

 The catalogs of European naturalists contain many interesting offerings. 



