18 POPULAll HISTORY OF THE AQUARIUM. 



Acephala. — Jelly-fish will not live well in confinement 

 Avhen full-grown; although some of them^ in their early 

 hj/droid stages^ are interesting, and even when mature can 

 be kept living for a few days. They are too oceanic for 

 permanent tenants. 



Zoophyta, — The hjdroid forms^ consisting of branched 

 polypidoms, with numerous polypes, are many of them pretty 

 objects, but their chief interest is microscopic : not so the 

 Actino'id forms, — the Anemones, or Sea-flowers (Plates VI., 

 YIL, YIII., IX.), and the no less flower-like Madrepore 

 (Plate III.) ; their beauties are palpable, and they pre- 

 sent the chief ornaments of our water-garden. Most of 

 them will live in water so turbid as to destroy other ani- 

 mals ; and they reproduce in numbers, and transplant them- 

 selves at will without interference from the gardener^s hand. 

 They will live upon Infusoria without being fed, occasionally 

 seizing a prawn or small fish that may happen to come in 

 their way ; but it is well to feed them occasionally with 

 pieces of dried meat, dropped down within reach of their 

 tentacles : they will be likely to flourish all the better for 

 being fed, and it is a very amusing process to feed them. 



Porifera. — Spouges, when dragged from their native po- 

 sition, are pretty sure to die speedily ; and as their decay is 



