THE AQUARIUM, APRIL, 1895. 



163 



Water Lily proper, with its cordate 

 -and bronze-green foliage, interspersed 

 with thousands of red, white and yellow 

 blooms, either resting on the water or 

 peeping like white kittens from the 

 masses of tender foliage. Intermediate 

 between these and the Lotus, Nympihcea 

 ■superha asserts imperial supremacy, its 



■ pencil stains, with their red, white and 

 blue flowers rising several inches above, 

 to display their exotic riches. But 

 chief among them, and undisputed 

 mistresses of the floral kingdom, are 

 the Victorias, with their enormous var- 

 iable flowers, rocking and blushing on 

 the gentle waves like veritable Ama- 



EgYPTIAN I.OTfS AT HOME, 



foliage either vibrating a foot in the 

 air or floating on the water like giant 

 pie-pans, with its huge flowers, here 

 like hemispheres of snow, launching 

 their fairy canoe petals on the water, 

 or there assuming a spherical form and 

 reaching up above the tallest leaves, 

 as if to clasp hands with the lordly 

 Lotus. 



Now we pass to the tender varieties, 

 with their gently ruffled leaves, lying 

 so flat on the water as to appear like 



zons, and their gigantic leaves with 

 upturned edges, any of which is large 

 enough to sustain a miniature aquatic 

 garden. 



But a general view of the pond does 

 not satisfy oar longings. We draw 

 nearer to touch and embrace, to ac- 

 quaint ourselves with their singular 

 habit. The leaves of the Lotus are 

 strong and flexible. Water thrown 

 against them does not adhere, but 

 glances off instantly. The uprights 



