24 



Aquatic Hit 



in company with beetle grubs, scorpions, 

 centipedes, snakes, and sometimes toads, 

 all hibernating until the warm sunshine 

 of spring awakens them to pursue their 

 varied activities. Although of doubtful 

 economic importance, these pretty lizards 

 are harmless, and with their interesting 

 habits, bright, active manners and beau- 

 tiful coloring, prove an attractive feature 

 of our wild life, and merit our protection. 

 It occurs in the eastern and central 

 United States, and is most numerous in 

 Virginia, North and South Carolina, 

 Georgia and Florida. 



As terrarium inmates they make very 

 interesting pets, soon becoming tame 

 enough to feed from one's hand. They 

 are fairly hardy, provided plentiful and 

 varying food is offered, and fresh water 

 sprayed on twigs or plants in their cage. 

 . One or two hours of sunshine each day 

 is also necessary for their well-being. 

 Specimens in the collection of the writer 

 have lived thus for more than five years. 

 (Aquatic Life is indebted to The 

 Agassiz Association, Inc., ArcAdiA, 

 Sound Beach, Connecticut, for the loan 

 of the cut of the spiny swift, which ap- 

 peared originally in "The Guide to Na- 

 ture," the organ of the association. The 

 photograph was taken by Major R. W. 



Shuf eldt. ) 



+- 



Concerning the erosion of the shells of 



snails, I wrote Mr. . He tells me it 



is due to lack of food ! This was a stun- 

 ner to me, as I am always accused of 

 over-feeding. He said four-horned snails 

 must have lettuce or turnip tops all the 

 time. This is probably correct as I find, 

 thought my aquaria are full of plants, 

 that the snails do not molest them, but 

 all the species of snails will eat great 

 quantities of lettuce; if this is not sup- 

 plied they are insufficiently nourished. 

 But if you supply the snails with lettuce 



and turnip tops the aquarium will smell, 

 so I have taken them out and given them 

 a large tank outdoors. During the win- 

 ter this tank will be placed in a green- 

 house. 



For my aquaria I have found a scaven- 

 ger that beats the snails, which are al- 

 ways dirty. For the past two years I 

 have been using the spotted newt, Die- 

 myctylus viridescens, with my paradise 

 fish. The newts are clean and do not 

 bother the fish, in fact, they are the only 

 animals that can be kept with this species. 

 There seems to be a perfect understand- 

 ing between them and they never fight. — 

 D. Oscar Mead, M. D. 



Pipe Fish 



The pipe fish, a near relative of the 

 sea-horse, might with propriety be called 

 a sea-kangaroo, as it has the distinction 

 of carrying its young in a pouch. This 

 fish, easily distinguishable for its long, 

 slim body, from which it derives its name, 

 is common in British waters, along our 

 Atlantic coast and elsewhere. 



The male of the species has a pocket 

 on the underside of its body extending 

 nearly half its length, and is the only part 

 which is unprotected. If a fish is taken 

 from the water and its little ones are 

 shaken out of the pouch into the water, 

 they always seem either unable or disin- 

 clined to swim away. If the male is 

 placed in the water again, all the young- 

 sters immediately swim back into the pro- 

 tecting pocket. 



These curious creatures have a pre- 

 hensile tail, which they use to hold on to 

 seaweed to prevent themselves being car- 

 ried away by the tide. — Exch. 



It's all right to take time by the 

 forelock, but don't take advantage of 

 your opportunities before they come to 

 you. 



