76 



aquatic %itt 



out. On the other hand, it is possible 

 that through the sucking operation of 

 the female the thread of sperm was 

 drawn through the gills and thrown back 

 on the ventral fins and here the eggs 

 were fertilized. Against this speaks the 

 fact of the tightly-closed edges of the 

 fin-pocket. There is little probability 

 that the sucking alone is a stimulation for 

 the ejection of the sperm, for at that time 

 the eggs are farthest away from the 

 sexual organ and placed where they 

 would have the least chance of being fer- 

 tilized. So the theory only remains that 

 the female sucks out the sperm and spits 

 it against the leaf, where the eggs are 

 fastened, and here fertilization takes 

 place. * * * 



"By 2.45 A. M. the spawning was over. 

 The female looked around for food, and 

 at the same time the mottling appeared 

 beautifully dark. The male, on the con- 

 trary, retained his fawn coloring for a 

 longer time. * * * 



"As already mentioned, the eggs were 

 fastened to the leaves by means of a 

 pasty substance. So tightly were they 

 fastened there that if any part of an egg 

 was torn off, the upper part of the leaf 

 came away with it. The eggs are exactly 

 2 mm. (two twenty-fifths of an inch) in 

 diameter, and somewhat opaque. In the 

 first days there is little change in the 

 eggs to be noticed. In about three days 

 one sees distinctly, deep inside of the 

 egg, the fish embryo in the form of a ring 

 lying around the light spot, and if one 

 observes more carefully, the proportion- 

 ately large heart beating at intervals of 

 a few seconds. The picture is much 

 clearer in about five days, when the fish 

 has a well-developed tail. This tail is 

 three times as long as the egg and pro- 

 jects out from the egg skin. In the egg 

 one now sees a longish body with the 

 yolk-sack. The eyes are also formed 

 and appear like dark spots. Soon the 



circulation of the blood begins and as the 

 tail is glass-clear, this is a most interest- 

 ing study of which one never tires. Dur- 

 ing , this interval the egg sheath cracks 

 more and more, and through a clapping 

 motion the fish can free itself. Super- 

 ficially observed, the animal at this time 

 resembles a tadpole. By and by the fins 

 begin to appear and the fish more and 

 more resembles the old ones. * * *" 



(Mr. Brannschneig's observations of 

 the development of the embryo were, of 

 course, made through a compound micro- 

 scope. — Ed.) 



A Tank Heated by Electricity 



In these progressive times it is un- 

 usual to find a whole community op- 

 posed to electric light. It is more un- 

 usual to find such a community within 

 the well-cultivated province of The New 

 York Edison Company. Sad and true as 

 it undoubtedly is, the fact continues at 

 124 East Nineteenth street, under the 

 very eaves of the electrical sanctuary. 

 The reactionaries in question are of Jap- 

 anese origin and so little acclimated as 

 to demand an element identical to a de- 

 gree with that of their equable and more 

 temperate Nippon. Hereupon rests their 

 mention in these modern and enlightened 

 pages. 



Some time since, when the artist, Rob- 

 ert W. Chanler, took up the principles 

 of Japanese design, the question of mod- 

 els and idea-promoters at once presented 

 itself. Leaf and bird forms, alive and 

 flourishing, were soon imported and 

 housed in a cozy garden at the rear of 

 the hallway. There were still wanting 

 the sinuous fish forms that glide in and 

 out of most well-regulated Nipponese 

 conceptions. 



Accordingly nymphs, fantails, and 

 gorgeous "telescopes" were introduced 

 to disport at will among plants, snails, 



