38 PREPARING TEX TANK. 



watef plants and animals, but we find no writer recommend 

 those tanks for their preservation, but rather advocate the 

 clear sides and a bright light. The marine species, also, 

 that we introduce into an Aquarium are mostly those from 

 shallow water, where they receive plenty of sunlight. Mr. 

 Warrington's tank would be found useful, no doubt, for the 

 keeping of deep-sea forms that will not thrive in the light • 

 but we have only to remove our collection away from the 

 window and it will do as well : ami, besides, we do not 

 lose the one glass side that is Indispensable to a clear view 

 of the contained forms. 



When, then, all else is prepared — that i.s 1o say, the bot- 

 tom, rockwork and plants — we are ready to introduce the 

 water, which it will be seen requires some care. If we were 

 to poor it in at once from a pail or pitcher, there would 

 be danger of uprooting the plants or overturning some of 

 the rockwork : therefore, it is a good plan to pour it into 

 the tank from a common garden watering-pot, with a fine 

 rose attached, which will separate the water into several 

 small streams, and make it fall In the form of a delicate 

 shower— in this way exposing as large a surface as possible 

 to the air, so that it may be absorbed, and hasten the 

 preparation of the tank, for the plants will not then be 

 vequircd to be put in to aerate it as long a time before 

 the animals are introduced. Some writers recommend the 

 pouring of the water from a pitcher held in one hand upon 

 a plate held slanting in the other over the tank. This 

 splashes the water into several streams, and aerates it well ; 

 and when the watering-pot cannot be conveniently used, 

 answers the same purpose. 



