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OCTOBER NATURE-STUDY 



325 



Shiner 

 Sunfish Guarding His Nest 



and John to find a sycamore leaf. It was only a short time before 

 they knew the names of all the leaves we had studied. 



The sunfish and the shiner 

 — Any boy in the vicinity of 

 a pond or dam can furnish 

 a pumpkin seed for this les- 

 son. He can also furnish 

 shiners or some other of the 

 minnows . These fish should , 

 unless of nearly the same 

 size, be kept in separate 

 aquaria. Now is the time to 

 make a balanced aquarium 

 for there is plenty of pond 

 weed to be found in still 

 pools. Go to the nearest pond with a pail in which you 

 can place the water plants as you dip them up with the dip net. 

 To make the aquarium, use a battery jar or any other kind 

 that is large enough. Place a little gravel in the bottom of 

 the jar; tie to the root of each plant a pebble for an anchor, and 

 plant it in the gravel; then add the water carefully so as not to 

 disturb the planting, and you will have an aquarium where a fish 

 will live indefinitely, without change of water. Lesson LXXXIV, 

 p. 380. If it is not possible to get the plants for a balanced aquar- 

 ium, the sunfish can be kept in a jar by changing the water every 

 other day. These fishes may be fed on small earth worms. Sun- 

 fish have exquisite colors and most interesting habits. For these 

 lessons, use questions in obs. 2, 3, 4, 5, p. 175. For identifying 

 and naming the fins, use diagram p. 150. Obs. 7, p. 176 should be 

 used as an outline for a story which may be found on p. 174. 



The study of the shiner or minnow should hinge on its difference 

 in form from the sunfish. Especial attention should be called to 

 the use of the fins when the fish is swimming. Use obs. 2-9, p. 163 

 for this lesson. The shiner, dace, and minnows most generally 

 live in flowing water so that they do not live long in an aquarium 

 unless it is furnished with- running water or contains water plants. 



