i6 



THE STUDENT S AQUARIUM. 



snake was a South American Copperhead, which had undoubt- 

 edly left a fruit vessel at Quarantine. You perhaps would be 

 glad to know that Mr. Turtle, after his experience, lived some 

 time to enjoy the hospitality of the Aquarium. I had put a piece 

 of cork in the can for him to rest on. Mr. Copperhead also 

 enjoyed himself in the same institution with others of his clan. 

 This is only one of numerous instances I could give you. 



Nowadays there is hardly a town of any importance where 

 there is not a store that deals in fancy fish for aquarial purposes. 

 But perhaps you happen to live in the country, or that there is 

 not such a store in your town, so much the better, — y'ou will 

 have to collect the specimens yourself. Remember that the 

 smaller your specimens, the better success you will have in 

 keeping them. Go to the lake or pond where you procured 

 the aquatic plants and you will find adhering to the plants some 

 small water snails ; you want 6 or 12 of these, as they act as 

 scavengers, and you may also be successful, if you again use 

 your rake, in hauling up two or three clams, — these will also 

 assist the snails in keeping your tank clean. 



The most interesting fish that can be kept in a Fresh- water 

 Aquarium, is the Fifteen-spine Stickleback. They are gener- 

 ally found in the Spring of the year in brackish water. I have 

 taken large quantities of them on Staten and Long Island, 

 where streams run into the New York bay. Again, I have 

 taken them in Lakes Mahopac and Gilead, Putnam county, 

 N. Y., and have seen them in the Mohawk River, at Utica, N. 

 Y., &c. If you can obtain them, I advise you to have them. 

 They are from two to three inches long, and this beautiful little 

 fresh-water fish build a nest in just the same manner as a bird 

 does, and will hatch their young and bring them up in places 

 where a great many apparently more hardy fish will die. As I 

 have said before, if possible get them, — they will amply repay 

 for expense or trouble. Get seven or eight of them and put in 

 your tank ; they are very pugnacious, and at the least fancied 



