THE GOLDFISH AND ITS CULTURE. 79 



forming a shoulder against which the water can splash without being 

 spilled. In all cases the lid must be securely fastened with strong 

 twine or^wire, so that a jar will not displace it. 



The above" directions apply more especially to shipments that do 

 not occupy any great length of time in the transit. 



If the fish are to be sent great distances over our own country or 

 exported to foreign parts, the safest plan is to put them in a vessel 

 fitted up like a regular aquarium. Japanese goldfish have been sent 

 to Europe with perfect success in the following manner : 



A one-gallon candy-jar, (such as are used for hatching spawn) is 

 fitted up in proper style, with sand, water-plants, snails and tadpoles, 

 and filled nearly to the top with pure water. In this may be placed 

 four two inch fish, the top then covered with a perforated tin lid, 

 and the whole set aside for observation for about a week. Dur^ 

 ing this time a tin bucket is obtained of such a size that the entire 

 candy-jar aquarium will nicely fit into it, the top of the jar being 

 neither higher nor lower than the upper edge of the bucket. This 

 tin bucket, or sheath, if you will, serves as a perfect guard against 

 breakage, and should any accident occur to the jar, the bucket is on 

 hand to act as a substitute. Furthermore the tin is provided with a 

 convenient handle to carry it by, and for greater security the jar can 

 be retained in its place with a heavy wire bar across the top, so 

 adjusted that it can be removed at will. 



On board the ocean steamer, the buckets are suspended by the 

 handles, the water is not changed, neither are the fish fed anything. 



As will be seen, the uncovered shoulder of the jar will admit 

 plenty of light, so that the plants can act on the water and keep it 

 fresh, neither can the water in the jar be lost by splashing out, as 

 when this does happen, it merely falls into the bucket, from whence 

 it can be returned; the perforated lid admits the air, but at the same 

 time prevents the accidental escape of the fish. 



