MAKING AQUABIA. 19 



mallet each piece of moulding until its end lias come flush with 

 the other side of the wood foundation ; then by driving a long 

 French nail, minus its head, into the side of the wood and 

 through the flat part of the zinc, each upright can be made firm. 

 Now cut two strips of zinc 12in. long, and two 9in. long, all lia. 

 wide. Mitre them, then join together with solder. When this 

 has been done, take what is made of the aquarium, turn it 

 upside down, place each upright on a comer of this frame, and 

 solder them carefully there. Next get a piece of roofing slate,' 

 and with an old saw cut it to fit as a lining for the bottom. The 

 four sides may be of window-glass of a moderate thickness. ITse 

 red and white lead as the cement, and paint it, when dry, with 

 two coats of sealing-wax varnish or Aepinall's Bath Enamel. If 

 this cement is not covered in some way, every aquarium in 

 which it is used must be thoroughly soaked before it is stocked; 

 indeed, the soaking of a new aquarium in which cement of any 

 kind has been used should never be omitted. FiU the spaces 

 which may have occvtrred through inaccurate work, between 

 the outside of the glass and the groove in the wood foundation, 

 with Portland cement or plaster of Paris, and the tank is 

 complete. 



If the uprights are not more than 6in. in height, they wiU 

 need no support at the top. Instead of the groove cut in 

 the wooden foundation, slips of wood may support the glass 

 at the bottom ; the slips will save trouble, but will not make' 

 the aquarium look so neat as the grooving would. Aquaria 

 made in this way are easily and cheaply constructed, and 

 ai-e not likely to leak. 



An arrangement of an aquarium, and fernery combined is 

 interesting and ornamental (Pig. 28). This combination 

 is fixed outside a window. The tank should be of slate and 

 plate-glass, like Fig. 8, but it may be similar to either Fig. 7 

 or Fig. 9. If it be either of the first two shapes, then the. 

 stand should be so arranged that there will be a place for 

 ferns beyond the aquaritmi. The effect of seeing them 

 through the water will be pleasing, and at the same time 

 they will provide suitable shade for the fish. The framework 

 to support and protect the aquarium and fernery may be as 



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