aquatic JLttt 



65 



Knickerbocker News 



A number of members of the Aqua- 

 rium Society, New York City, who con- 

 verse in the German language, have or- 

 ganized a section that will hold monthly 

 meetings on the first Tuesday at The 

 American Museum of Natural History. 

 Dr. E. Bade is presiding officer. 



It should be patent to every one that 

 the step taken by these aquarists was in 

 every way preferable to the organization 

 of a distinct society. It is customary in 

 all institutions to organize subsidiary 

 sections, branches or departments, each 

 caring for the interests of those special- 

 izing in a particular study. Such sec- 

 tions enjoy the resources of the parent 

 organization and unite in actions for 

 common welfare, yet maintaining indi- 

 viduality necessary for specialization. 

 ( )rganization along these lines is espe- 

 cially adaptable to aquarium societies, 

 some members of which may devote 

 themselves entirely to exotic and native 

 fishes, and others to goldfish breeding, 

 one class having no interest in the other. 

 Rather than split such a society into two 

 weaker ones, sections for each class 

 should be formed. The meetings would 

 be devoted to the object of the individual 

 section, and programs arranged accord- 

 ingly, but members of other classes 

 could attend. 



The Word "Aquarium" 



Years ago when the principles of the 

 aquarium first became known, and its 

 popularity began to grow, there were 

 grand etymological discourses in the 

 learned papers respecting the correct 

 name which ought to be given to it. 

 Some called it vivarium, but were met 

 by objectors who said the zoological gar- 

 den was equally a vivarium, and so was 

 a dog kennel or a stable. In order to 

 meet the difficulty, they proposed the 



word aqua-vivarium — a word which cer- 

 tainly had the advantage of being cor- 

 rect, but the disadvantage of being com- 

 plicated. Then came others who pre- 

 ferred the name aquarium, and straight- 

 way this name was adopted by common 

 consent. It is true that exact linguists 

 rejected the word, citing the Latin dic- 

 tionary, which stated that Aquarius was 

 either a water-bailiff or a water-man, or 

 "the man who carries the water pot" 

 in the Zodiac. Still aquarium is a sim- 

 ple and easy word, and entirely super- 

 seded aqua-vivarium, just as in a later 

 year the word telegram superseded 

 telegrapheme. — Rev. J. G. Wood. 



Wagner on Light Control 



In the November number of "Aquatic 

 Life" I note that a Los Angeles reader 



A German Conception of the Broad-tail 

 Calico Telescope Goldfish 



is having difficulty with his aquarium 

 because of the intense heat and light. 

 If he will remove the clear glass from 

 the lower portion of the window sash, 

 replacing it with ground glass, he will 

 get wonderful results. Or, if he will 

 fasten a piece of ground glass against 

 the window pane, sufficient to diffuse 

 all the light coming through the window 

 to the aquarium, he will get the same 



