THE CARE OF HOME AQUARIA 49 



Special care should be taken, whenever any new animals are 

 added, to observe that they do not die and upset the adjustment 

 of the aquarium by their decomposition. Portions of plants 

 w^hich are deteriorating may be removed and fresh ones added. 

 In fact the whole method of operating is the same as in the fresh- 

 water aquarium, except that greater care is required on ac- 

 count of the greater variety of the animal life and the greater 

 danger of introducing something which will interfere with the 

 adjustment. 



Practically all of the marine animals are carnivorous. They 

 may be fed upon pieces of clam, oyster or fish, cut to proper size 

 or finely grated for the smaller animals. 



Some sea-snails make good scavengers, but some of them are 

 vegetarians and may attack the plant life too freely, while others 

 are entirely carnivorous and will have nothing to do with decay- 

 ing matter. However, these are just the points which the aquar- 

 ist will be interested in determining for himself, and, with the 

 proper attention, will offer no great difficulties. As in the fresh- 

 water aquarium, it is very important not to overfeed and to 

 remove by means of the siphon any excess food material which 

 might, by decaying, interfere with the proper balance of life. 



THE TERRARIUM. 



Many small animals suitable for the home collection will not 

 live in water and some others which may be kept in the aquari- 

 um really prefer moist situations and will do much better in such 

 conditions than if compelled to live in water. For such animals 

 the terrarium is the proper receptacle. Since the animals may 

 vary from the desert lizards, such as the horned-toad, to the 

 moisture-loving land-salamanders, or the frogs, it is evident that 

 the conditions in the terrarium must vary accordingly. 



The glass-sided aquarium tank makes a good receptacle for 

 the terrarium. For desert conditions an old leaky one will serve 

 as well as any, and a bottom of dry gravel is all that is necessary. 

 The addition of a few cacti or other desert plants gives variety. 

 These may be planted in shallow dishes, sunk to the level of the 

 bottom. One or two large pebbles may be so placed that the 

 animals can partially conceal themselves beneath them. 



For the salamanders and frogs, as well as for land turtles 

 and most insects, more moisture is necessary. A bottom of 

 gravel covered with rich earth should be provided. This should 



