5034 Tur ZooLocist—Aveust, 1876. 
put upon it, while marble remains intact. Again, though slate is 
somewhat unsightly unless enamelled, it unfortunately happens that 
this so-called “enamel” chips or peels off under the action of any 
sea-water with which it may come in contact; and the tanks then 
become unsightly and untidy in appearance. My readers will 
naturally say that the enamel being outside the tanks, it should 
not come in contact with the sea-water; but all who know the 
great difficulty of making large show-tanks absolutely water-tight 
will see the inadvisability of using a material which, in the present 
immature stage of aquarium construction, adds greatly to the first 
cost, and then afterwards only adds to the many complications of 
management. 
Unfortunately the aquarium at Rothesay suffers from the same 
failing as every other aquarium yet constructed—namely, the 
miserable leakage of water from reservoirs and tanks. It seems 
such a pity that, for the sake of a comparatively small fee, 
Aquarium Companies have hitherto persistently refused to engage 
a really competent engineer to superintend the earlier stages of 
construction. Had this been done there is little doubt that much 
anxiety in the management would have been saved, besides the 
disastrous consequences of the wear from leakage, which, from its 
very insidiousness, is a dreadful enemy to cope with. Aquariam 
construction has so far been treated entirely from an architectural 
stand-point, whereas it is eminently engineering, and large sums of 
money have been spent upon external decorations, which earn 
nothing, while tanks, pipes, and especially reservoirs, being out of 
sight, are neglected, to the infinite damage of future dividends. 
In fact, it amounts to this, that a well-constructed aquarium is a 
most valuable property, which, with little outlay after first cost, 
will earn large results, both biologically and financially; while a 
badly constructed one is a veritable “ white elephant.” 
The most valuable addition recently received to the animals 
now exhibited in Britain is several very fine Italian eels (Murena 
Helena), which, with other animals, came from Naples to the 
Crystal Palace Aquarium, all of them being successfully transported 
on this long voyage by Captain Badcock, of the S.S. ‘ Aurora, 
who has before, with great care and generosity, in this manner 
lent a helping hand to Science. This handsome fish has rarely 
been recorded as British: it is described by Yarrell as the 
“Murry,” while Mr, Couch calls it the “ Murena.” The figures 
