OR, THE HOME-CULTURE OF FRESH-WATER PLANTS. 



the apparatus at the Cheltenham Meeting of the 

 British Association, stated that "visitors were 

 so fond of blowing the bellows, that the curator 

 found it quite unnecessary to employ attendants to 

 inject fresh air into the tanks;" an amusing remark 

 which has been repeated by Dr. Lankester. 



A small hand-net is useful for occasionally re- 

 moving fish or other animals ; or, for more minute 

 objects, a glass tube, to be used in the following 

 manner : If the thumb be placed tightly over the 

 upper end of the tube, when about to be intro- 

 duced into the water, and so held till its lower 

 end is close to the object it is wished to take out, 

 and then withdrawn, the water will rise into the 

 tube itself, expelling a portion of the air, and the 

 object may then be taken out along with the water 

 in the tube. 



Experience, however, will best suggest many 

 such contrivances necessary to the possessor of 

 an Aquarium ; and as they will be of more value 

 when arising in the course of such experience, than 

 when derived from hints thrown out in this place, 

 I shall leave the student to make his own disco- 

 veries, in all mere matters of convenience ; as he 

 will necessarily adapt them more aptly to his own 

 peculiar views and wants, than one who should 



