146 



aquatic UlCe 



it is obtuse. The color of this fin is 

 changeable from light to dark blue and 

 purple, with a horizontal band or stripe, 

 and in the male, with the upper edge rich 

 green. The base of the anal fin of the 

 male bears an orange spot. A large ex- 

 ample will measure two inches. 



Temperatures from 70 to 75 degrees 

 will be sufficient for adults, but the young 

 should be accorded more warmth until 

 several months old. Live foods, Daphne, 

 Cyclops and Enchytraeids, should be 

 preferably fed. 



(Certain writers indicate that the eggs 

 of Badis badis are deposited on the flower 

 pot, but are otherwise in accord with Mr. 

 Brind. — Editor.) 



Philadelphia Aquarium 



When the average person thinks of fish 

 a picture of a peaceful little glass globe, 

 containing two or three goldfish, a tad- 

 pole, a bunch of weed and a little stone 

 castle, is what usually floats before the 

 vision of the mind. Yet life beneath the 

 waters of the world presents one of the 

 great undeveloped fields for study, if not 

 the greatest known to man. 



Up to within a comparatively few years 

 ago there was very little knowledge of 

 the habits, foods, life, traits and breeding 

 of fish, with the exception of the few 

 varieties that had been cultivated, such 

 as the Japanese carp and goldfish. In 

 recent years, however, the study of fish 

 has come to be recognized as important, 

 not only the study of fresh water, but of 

 the deep sea varieties of the finny tribe. 

 Through the work of the pioneers in this 

 study and investigation the problem of 

 conserving the fish of the streams and 

 lakes of the world has been met to a great 

 extent. 



It has long been recognized by ichthy- 

 ologists that there was only one way to 

 gain anything like complete data of any 



kind concerning fish, and that is through 

 the medium of the aquarium. Not only 

 for its uses in providing a field for the 

 study of fish and because of attractiveness 

 the aquarium on a large scale has come 

 to be an institution in many of the large 

 cities of the world. New York and many 

 European cities have handsome struc- 

 tures containing marvelous assortments 

 of fish. Philadelphia also has its aqua- 

 rium, already a fairly well developed in- 

 stitution and one that, when completed, 

 will compare favorably with any for the 

 plans for it have been made along lines 

 far more advanced than any of the others. 

 Tlr s has been possible because of the 

 experience of the others. 



The plans in accordance with which 

 the local aquarium is being developed on 

 the site of the old Gratz Mansion and 

 Spring Garden pumping station, just be- 

 low the Fairmount Dam on the Schuylkill 

 River, make it not only possible for the 

 ichthyologist and nature student to delve 

 into the lore of the water denizens, but 

 also afford the sightseer a better oppor- 

 tunity to view the fish than the New 

 York or any other aquarium. The tanks 

 are so arranged that the light falls di- 

 rectly on the surface of the water. Every- 

 thing has been done to depict as nearly as 

 possible the natural habitat of the inhabi- 

 tants of the tanks. 



In connection with former advertise- 

 ments in Aquatic Life, the J. J. Halter- 

 back Company, Inc., writes : "We net 

 only received inquiries, but good orders 

 from first-class houses all through the 

 United States, Canada, Central and South 

 America/' Taking into consideration 

 that Aquatic Life has subscribers in all 

 parts of the civilized world, and that the 

 "Peerless" aquarium is a first-class arti- 

 cle, the result is merely what should be 

 expected. 



