1 1 



RECREA TION. 





FILLING THE AQUARIUM. 



rotten wood and then a very smart pink 

 stone, and so on till she was patched all 

 over like an Irishman's coat. I must 

 hurry now and put in the water or my 

 plants will all dry up. Pouring in the 

 water needs a little care or it will roil 

 the sand and get all cloudy. So I shall 

 just put my hand in like this and pour 

 the water gently on it, that way, as in 

 the picture you see in my aquarium 

 book. A few pebbles sprinkled pro- 

 miscuously over the bottom, so. Now 

 it looks more natural." 



'' Here's the fish ma'am. May I put 

 them in ? " 



" Yes, Harry, only be careful. Take 

 this dipnet; catch them one at a time, 

 putting your hand over, to prevent the 

 fish jumping, and gently place it in the 

 water." 



<4 Yes, that is the way. Now don't 

 forget to lift Mr. and Mrs. Newt lightly 

 by the" tail." 



" I will, ma'am. See 'em wriggle 

 off eel fashion! " 



" No! no! don't pull those snails 

 off the can that way, you will kill 

 them. Tap them gently, like this, 

 and allow them time to curl up in 

 their shells. There, now catch them 

 in your net as they detach them- 

 selves. Lastly, place this floating 

 duckweed on the water, and the 

 fitting of the aquarium is com- 

 pleted." 



" I don't yet see, ma'am, why 

 the water's not to be changed for 

 a year." 



" No ? Well, you see these plants, 

 as long as they get light, produce 

 oxygen or pure air for the fishes 

 in the water to breathe, and they, 

 like all animals, give off carbonic 

 acid gas, which makes the plants 

 grow and flower." 



" But doesn't the water all dry up after 

 awhile? Of course it would if I did 

 not add a little fresh water, twice a 

 month, as it evaporates." 



"Hello! little girl, you seem to be busy 



this morning. What are you up to now ?" 



''Why, Charlie, I never heard you 



come in. I hope we did not wake you?" 



"I should say not. Look at the clock; 



whose's your little friend ?" 



"Oh! I thought you knew young 

 Hillyer. Harry, my brother." 



u A kindred spirit I suppose. Glad to 

 see you, Harry. There, Sis. I came 

 across these yesterday and thought you 

 might like them." 



"Oh! Charlie, how lovely of you! 

 Why, they are exquisite. See, Harry. A 

 pair of real Japanese fringetail and teles- 

 cope goldfishes. Such beauties, too." 



" My aquarium will be the handsomest 

 in New York." 



JAPANESE TELESCOPE GOLDFISH. 



