AUTHOR'S PREFACE 



To the lover of Nature all forms of life are interesting and there is 

 nothing of greater charm, more diverting or restful to the mind 

 than observations of the natural phenomena of the world about us. 

 The habits of land animals and plants are easily observed but the facina- 

 ting study of the ever-varying beauty of aquatic life presents greater diffi- 

 culty, as the denizens of the water can only be kept alive for convenient 

 observation when the natural conditions of their existence are understood 

 and simulated; and to those not satisfied with the dried mummy forms of 

 the specimen cabinet or of others in preserving fluids, the aquarium and 

 terrarium offer the best aid to that liberal education which is acquired only 

 by personal observation. 



There is, however, probably no pursuit in the natural sciences more 

 abused by false statements, crass ignorance of the subject, trickery of trade 

 and wilful withholding of the truth, than the care and maintenance of the 

 aquarium, the breeding of aquarium fishes, and the cure of their diseases. 

 Let it be here stated that these are only troublesome when not correctly 

 understood, and the laws governing the existence of the plants and animals 

 violated, either from lack of information or by misleading counsel. 



A simple and full elucidation of the correct governing principles is 

 greatly to be desired, as technical zoological and botanical treatment would 

 not accomplish the purpose, nor would books of that nature reach the 

 general public. There are a number of good American and foreign pub- 

 lications which severally treat of the aquarium and its inhabitants, the 

 culture of the goldfish, and the descriptions of freshwater and marine fauna 

 and flora, for the use of the collector, but there is none of sufficiently wide 

 scope to cover the entire field, and by concise, up-to-date, easily compre- 

 hensible descriptions and abundant illustrations to fully familiarize the 

 subject to all readers, the novice, the amateur and the adept. 



The author's interest in aquaria and the breeding of fine goldfishes 

 first led him to make the drawings and later prepare the accompanying 



