06 A MANUAL 



First. A plentiful siij)ply of oxygen, which is con- 

 tained most abundantly in pure sea-water, but sea- 

 Avater is purified b}" admixture with the oxygen of 

 the atmosphere, therefore we shall have to give them 

 a j^lentiful supply of pure air. 



Secondly. Food: either the animalcules contained 

 in water just taken from the sea, or those which are 

 generated in pure and unfiltered salt-water, and, for 

 tlie larger animals, shell-fish and the like. 



Thirdly. The removal of all decaying matter, 

 whether vegetable or animal. By this I mean the 

 manual removal of those impurities which are not 

 corrected by the addition of sea-water, or by aerating 

 that which is already in our receptacles. 



Fourthly. An equable temperature. 



Fifthly. Moderate light. 



If we ensure these five conditions to the anemones 

 all other considerations appear to be matters of the 

 smallest importance to them : they are totally in- 

 different whether we keep them on the Devonshire 

 coast or in the heart of London — whether we give 

 them fresh sea-water daily or aerate that which we 

 gave them a year ago, or immerse them in a saline 

 fluid manufactured at the nearest druggist's shop : 

 they are quite regardless of the fact of their being 

 admired by lords and ladies in a palatial aquarium, 

 and flourish Avith equal vigour and beauty in the 

 earthenware pan and the white- washed cottage of the 

 less aristocratic Nature -student. 



