aquatic ILitt 



is due solely to reflected light, and if such 

 a fish is placed upon some black bars, 

 these are reflected on the sides of the fish, 

 a condition admirably illustrated. In a 

 pond or river the surroundings are simi- 

 larly reflected and the fish is afforded a 

 measure of protection. The back, which 

 is exposed to light from above, is almost 

 invariably dark-colored. 



Excellent pictures of fishes may be ob- 

 tained by using a narrow glass aquarium. 



"Maw, oh, maw! Can we come in|?" 

 I Donahey in Cleveland Plain Dealer). 

 The subject cannot then vary its position 

 in regard to the camera, and consequently 

 remains in focus. Other methods of pho- 

 tographing marine life in rock pools were 

 demonstrated, and the use of various 

 tanks, cells and lenses for smaller aquatic 

 animals was explained. The lecturer 

 then exhibited a series of his own photo- 

 graphs, including photomicrographs of 



some of the minute inhabitants of our 

 ponds and streams. 



Fundulus nottii 



The star-headed minnow, Fundulus 

 nottii, is particularly attractive little killi- 

 fish that for some reason or other has not 

 attained the popularity it deserves. Did 

 it come from India, or some other far-off 

 land, it would no doubt be highly valued 

 and bred with the same zeal as the species 

 of Haplochilus, which it resembles in 

 habits and spawning. But though "a 

 beautiful and strikingly colored little 

 fish" (Jordan and Evermann), we pass 

 it by because it is a native species. 



Nott's Fundulus does not appear to 

 have been bred in the aquarium, but its 

 spawning habits are indicated by the fact 

 that several times aquarists have secured 

 it from eggs attached to water hyacinths 

 and other aquatic plants shipped from 

 the South. In one instance it appeared 

 from hyacinths that had been merely 

 raked from the water, dumped into a 

 barrel and shipped. It is quite hardy in 

 the aquarium, and, unlike the exotic 

 fishes, finds ordinary house temperature 

 to its liking during the winter. 



The body is silvery, with six black 

 stripes running from head to tail, and ten 

 to thirteen fainter vertical bars. These 

 vary in intensity. A broad black bar cov- 

 ers the eye and extends down over the 

 cheek ; lower jaw and upper part of gill- 

 cover red ; breast and lower part of gill- 

 cover reddish yellow. (Named for Dr. 

 Nott, its discoverer.) 



Thomas Edison says its easier to im- 

 prove machinery than to improve men. 



Nature seldom makes a fool ; she 

 simply furnishes the raw material, and 

 lets the fellow finish the job to suit him- 

 self. — Josh Billings. 



