ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



337 



A list of such books was published in the 

 Bulletin for April, 1906. Any of the fol- 

 lowing, for sale by booksellers generally, will 

 be found useful : 



Tlic Home Aqtiarium , and How to Care for 

 It. — A guide to its fishes, other animals, and 

 plants ; with many illustrations. By Eugene 

 Smith. Buttons, New York, 1902. 



The Amateur Aquarist. — How to equip and 

 maintain a self-sustaining aquarium. Illus- 

 trated. By Mark Samuel. Baker & Taylor 

 Co., New York, 1894. 



The Goldfish, and its Systematic Culture. — 

 A thorough guide for goldfish keeping and 

 goldfish breeding in the house and out of 



doors. The construction and care of the par- 

 lor aquarium and ponds for breeding. Illus- 

 trated. By Hugo Mulertt, New York, 1902. 



The Book of Aquaria. — Being a practical 

 guide to the construction, arrangement, and 

 management, of fresh-water and marine aqua- 

 ria. Illustrated. ' By the Rev. Gregory C. 

 Bateman, A.K.C., and Reginald A. R. Bennett, 

 M.A. Part I — Fresh-water Aquaria. Part 

 II — ]\Iarine Aquaria. Scribner's, New York, 

 1902. 



The small aquaria in the laboratory of the 

 New Y'ork Aquarium will be shown to visitors 

 making inquiry about them, and their manage- 

 ment in detail explained by those in charge. 



WOOD- TURTLE.' 



CARE OF TURTLES AND SMALL 

 ALLIGATORS. 



THESE animals do not thrive in the hands 

 of the amateur, especially in winter, if one 

 may judge by the number of emaciated 

 specimens annually presented to the Aqua- 

 rium. 



The returning Florida tourist usually has 

 some baby alligators, which refusing to feed 

 in our chilly northern climate, are brought to 

 the Aquarium, perhaps during intensely cold 

 weather, in nothing warmer than a pasteboard 

 box. If this last thoughtless act does not finish 

 them at once the attendants may be able to pull 

 them through. Cold-blooded reptiles such as 

 turtles and alligators must have warm quar- 

 ters. They should be kept in aquaria or other 

 vessels into which sunlight can enter, and the 



vessel placed where it will not become cold. If 

 kept near a window for the benefit of the sun- 

 shine, which is life to them, care should be 

 taken that they are also near a heater. 



The temperature of the ordinary living-room 

 in winter is scarcely high enough to keep alli- 

 gators active, since they need a warmth of 75 

 to 85 degrees. They require not only warm 

 water, but a place where they can crawl out at 

 times. The water need not be more than a few 

 inches deep, and the platform or small log on 

 which they rest should be placed in such a way 

 that they can climb upon it easily. Alligators 

 in captivitv are most comfortable and active 

 when thev have access to water that is nearly 

 tepid, and it is their habit to float much on 

 the surface. Turtles require not only warm 

 water, but also the heat of the sun. For that 

 reason turtles do not flourish as well in the 



