40 THE FRESH-WATER AQUARIUM. 



slowly gliding by in kingly majesty, for the sun-fish is 

 slow, and seldom hurries himself; and we have that fresh- 

 water lobster, the craw-fish, and the fresh-water shrimps. 

 To a beginner, I should decidedly recommend her, my 

 fair reader (for these few hints, as to the management of 

 the Aquarium, are not any more especially addressed to 

 the gentleman than to the lady part of the community, 

 whom I hope soon to see taking as much delight in the 

 fitting up and management of these beautiful parlor orna- 

 ments as their sisters on the other side of the Atlantic), 

 to start with a fresh-water Aquarium, in preference to a 

 salt-water one, for several reasons. First, the stock for 

 it is easier procured, and, if any accident should happen, 

 can be sooner renewed, and the same thing may be said 

 of the water. Second, I have found the fresh-water Aqua- 

 rium to be much easier to start, and more readily kept 

 in order. Third, many facts may be learned from the 

 keeping of a fresh-water Aquarium, that we shall find very 

 useful when we come to start a marine one — facts that 

 can only be got at from the keeping of a marine collec- 

 tion for some considerable time, at the risk of losing 

 many valuable objects that cannot be procured as easily 

 as fresh-water stock ; for every one knows some quiet lit- 

 tle pond or brook in the country, that is accessible, and 

 every such pond or piece of water will be sure to yield 

 something for a collection. Even if it be but a pond in 

 which frogs abound more than any other animal, yet there 

 we will be very likely to find some plant that may answer 

 for Aquarium use — water-beetles, caddis-worms, or some 

 other small, but not to be despised, creature that we may 



