356 HINTS ON THE FORMATION 



some circumstance will take place to excite his 

 wonder, and fill his mind with deep and devout re- 

 flection. Moreover, the young naturalist will undoubt- 

 edly derive pleasure from his endeavours to establish 

 published facts relative to many of his little prisoners ; 

 pleasure in noting down any interesting anecdote 

 that may occur; pleasure in knowing that his time 

 is being profitably spent; and above all, that he 

 is making himself acquainted with objects framed 

 with marvellous skill and care by the hand of the 

 Almighty: 



1 Wonderful indeed are all His works, 

 Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all 

 Had in remembrance, always with delight.' 



Without further preface, I shall now proceed to 

 offer some practical hints relative to the establish- 

 ment of a marine aquarium. And, as some of my 

 readers may be perfectly unacquainted with the 

 subject, I shall treat it in as simple a style as 

 possible. If, however, the experienced zoologist 

 will kindly follow me to the end of the chapter, it 

 may be that he will find some hints sufficiently 

 new and useful to repay him for his trouble. 



First, then, in regard to the tank. This indis- 

 pensable requisite may be procured at certain shops 

 in almost every town in the United Kingdom. Its 

 price varies from two or three shillings to 20. 

 The expensive kinds are generally oblong in form, 

 but their construction being somewhat intricate, 



