90 



THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 1897. 



the underside of the specimen is pure 

 white ; along its back and on the hind 

 legs the markings, characteristic to the 

 species, appear indistinctly also iii 

 cream color, just a trifle deeper in 

 shade ; they can be made out by close 

 inspection. The eyes are of a beauti- 

 ful deep pink. Owing to the absence 

 of dark colors in the skin, the animal 

 has a very delicate appearance ; it looks 

 as if it was carved of ivory. 



We have seen albino deer, fox, squir- 

 rels, ferrets, cats, raven, eel, and years 

 ago had an albino catfish (species 

 Amiurus marmoratus) in our collec- 

 tion, not to mention the more frequent 

 albino rabbits, rats and mice, but for 

 nearly half a century during which we 

 collected and handled large numbers of 

 every known species of batrachians, we 

 have never before seen an albino frog, 

 nor have we read or heard that any one 

 else ever has noticed such a freak in 

 frogdom. It may, therefore, be safely 

 said that this albino frog is the first one 

 on record. 



The specimen enjoys good health in 

 one of the smaller aquariums of the 

 Institute, where it is admired by the 

 students at their leisure moments. 



NELUMBIUM ALBUM GRANDI- 

 FLORUM. 



It was our pleasure last season, as 

 never before, to critically test the white 

 Japanese Lotus, Nelumhium Album 

 Grandiflorum, and we do not hesitate to 

 say that it, in every particular, came 

 up to, if not surpassed our expectation, 

 both in freedom to bloom and impunity 

 to stand rough treatment. It is truly 

 one of the floral aristocrats, and who- 

 ever is so fortunate as to possess it, in- 

 deed has a treasure. We know of but 

 one reason why it is not in general cul- 



tivation, and that is its extreme scarcity 

 in this country, which has kept it from 

 being generally known. 



This grand flower being the largest, 

 most prolific, most elastic of different 

 temperatures, and most chaste in color 

 of all the lotuses, eminently deserves 

 highest rank among them. Both stalk 

 and foliage are stronger and more bulky 

 than Egyptian Lotus, the flowers open 

 out wider, the petals are broader and 

 more rounded. The flowers rise but 

 little above the leaves, and often oj^en 

 amidst or beneath them, a habit pecul- 

 iar to the Japanese Lotus. The color 

 of the petals is a clear, pearly white 

 throughout, the outside of the outer 

 ones being softened with cream at their 

 bases. The texture is fine and uniform 

 •AS,\\\ Nehtmhium Eosetim. The stamens 

 are long, numerous and prominent ; 

 color, bright sulphur yellow. The 

 seed pod is of the same rich color, and 

 displays well the beautiful waxy white 

 pistils. The flowers are the largest of 

 all the lotuses, are delightfully fragrant, 

 and outstrips in magnificence the loveli- 

 ness and splendor of a magnolia. It 

 has proven perfectly hardy, in open 

 ponds, anywhere in the United States 

 and southern provinces of Canada. 

 This is not a wild plant, having been 

 under the highest state of cultivation 

 by the Chinese and Japanese from time 

 immemorial, it gives best results when 

 cultivated. 



If grown in tanks or tubs, where it 

 becomes root-bound, the flowering qual- 

 ity is greatly enhanced. In open waters 

 and large pools it blooms much more 

 freely after becoming crowded. It is a 

 heavy feeder, and delights in rich soil, 

 plenty of fresh air and sunshine. 



With us this is one of the most satis- 

 factory of all the lotuses in the fish 

 tank. No lotus furnishes any notice- 



