THE AQUARIUM. 43 



collections of Natural History objects, and to form 

 miniature museums, aviaries, and aquaria for the study of 

 animal life, and other phenomena of interest. Abundant 

 facilities for similar pursuits exist in this country also 

 The two things needed are will and interest. We have our 

 museums and zoological and botanic gardens, and every 

 school-boy of every village can have his own aquarium. 



This high sounding name need not terrify you, gentle 

 reader. It has nothing to do with the '" conventional and 

 costly structure suggestive of plate glass, and elaborate 

 metal and rockwork." It is quite a simple thing a tub 

 or a gam/a if you like, with a few gallons of water, some 

 tank-weeds and sand; tenanted by freshwater fishes, 

 mollusks, and crustaceans. Such a collection cannot but 

 be an object of absorbing interest to youthful minds, 

 affording them early opportunities for observation and 

 contemplation* Besides the instruction and amusement 

 which even such a primitive aquarium is likely to afford, 

 it exercises a certain amount of disciplinary influence upon 

 the minds of young men in that it accustoms them to 

 learn to take trouble about little matters, and to bestow 

 attention on details. 



To establish an aquarium, the first essential 

 requisite is to procure a strong large gamla^ or a tub. The 

 former should always be preferred. A small quantity of 

 coarse sand, or, better still, some gravel, a few stones, or, 

 in their absence, one or two partially vitrified bricks 

 (Jhama) should be collected and placed in the gamla. It is 

 always better to expose the sand, gravel, or stones to boiling 



