THE MARINE AQUARIUM 339 



portions are not readily seen they may decompose and 

 contaminate the water. 



We are sometimes instructed to keep a few crabs or 

 prawns with the anemones, to act as scavengers. The idea 

 is good, but, sooner or later, these come in touch with a 

 tentacle, and come to grief. I would rather recommend 

 keeping the anemones by themselves, and have several 

 small aquariums rather than a large one. 



The anemones can be fed upon almost anything in the 

 fish or " shell-fish " line whelks, winkles, bits of fish from 

 the shops always taking care to remove, by means of a 

 pair of wooden forceps, any rejected pieces. 



A slight bamboo rod, split for half its length and 

 bound with twine at the termination of the cleft, 

 makes a good instrument for removing things from 

 the bottom. 



If things are going wrong the first intimation will be 

 that the anemones retract their tentacles, protrude their 

 O3sophagus, and loose their hold on the rock, swelling up 

 meanwhile, like little balloons. This does not mean that 

 they are dead, but this is a provision of nature. These 

 animals, having little locomotive power, thus render them- 

 selves transportable by sea-currents when, from any cause, 

 the hygienic conditions of their old home renders it unsuit- 

 able. If this happens do not throw away anything. Wash 

 the anemones and the rocks and weeds in some of the re- 

 serve stock of sea-water, and the glass and shingle under 

 the tap ; replace all, and fill with the reserve water. 



The contaminated water, as well as that which has been 

 used for washing the anemones, etc., is as good as new if 

 it is treated thus. With a large enamelled funnel from the 

 hardware shop, and a grey filter paper from the drug-stores, 

 filter the water into an open vessel, exposing it well to the 

 air, whisking it up now and again to oxygenate it. It can 

 then in turn become the " reserve." 



Y2 



