SELF- A CTING AIR-CAN. 1 59 



Most people have now their annual seaside "run," 

 and it is a poor place indeed if it have no rock- 

 pools and no marine animals and plants there to be 

 captured, stowed away, and brought home as sou- 

 venirs of pleasant summer rambles. We have known 

 a good many instances, however, in which the ani- 

 mals thus collected have been lost for want of a 

 proper means of keeping them until they could be 

 transferred to the tank ; and we therefore give the 

 accompanying sketch of Mr. A. J. R. Sclater's "self- 

 acting air-can," as one of the best contrivances we 

 have hitherto seen for keeping aquatic objects, whether 

 marine or fresh water. The following is the ex- 

 planation of its structure : 



A is the cover of the can ; B the socket to fit the 

 cover ; C the body of the can ; D D plate with per- 

 forated raised zinc, showing the water forcing itself 

 into the chamber F, and then going back into the can 

 again ; g the top of the cover, which rests on line ^, 

 sinking down one inch below upper rim, so that water 

 forcing its way through the upper cover plate also 

 goes back into the can again through the holes, as 

 marked in cover on the under drawing ii\j shows 

 the hollow, and how it is fastened to the left side by 

 a leathern strap k k passing over the head to right 

 shoulder. It can thus be worn when riding or walking. 

 L L is the cover of the can closed down into the 

 socket ; mm tin loops to pass the leathern strap 

 through ; n n pillars to hold the under plate of cover ; 



