332 SCHOOL EQUIPMENT AND ITS MANAGEMENT. 



anemones, Crustacea, molluscs, small fish, may then gradu- 

 ally be introduced. 



In schools where a supply of running water is available 

 a series of boxes arranged as shown in Fig. 175 affords 

 opportunities for the rearing of young trout or salmon, the 

 keeping of caddis-fly, may-fly, and stone-fly larvae, and 

 other forms of aquatic life which thrive best in running 

 water. Trout or salmon larvae may be purchased quite 

 cheaply and the development can be followed for some 

 months, and constitutes a fascinating study (Fig. 176). 

 Such a set of boxes should have a bottom of clean sand or 

 gravel for trout or salmon rearing, for caddis and other 

 larvae material from the bed of the stream whence the 

 larvae have been taken is best. 



Rearing boxes of this kind are well suited for work in 

 town schools where the water supply is abundant, but in the 

 country a tub or fair- sized barrel, not too deep, set below a 

 dripping tap and having a sandy bottom will be found excel- 

 lent, and numerous forms of aquatic life will be found to 

 thrive well in such an " aquarium." 



INSECT REARING CAGES. 



The rearing of insects is now so much practised in school 

 that little advice is required on this subject. Various 

 types of cage have been devised, illustrations of which are 

 given below. These are all intended for Lepidoptera. 



Besides Lepidoptera, it is desirable that one or two other 

 types of insect life should be studied in this particular 

 way. As an illustration of a beetle life-history an excel- 

 lent case is that of the "meal worm" (Tenebrio molitor). 

 The larvae may be had from bird and animal dealers, who 

 use them for feeding purposes. A dozen or two of these 

 should be placed in a clean glass vessel amongst clean 

 bran. 



If the vessel has flat sides and is not too wide, the move- 

 ments, feeding, etc., of the larvae will be under observation. 

 They may also be kept in a cardboard or wooden box. In 

 any case the stages in the life-history can be followed 



