THE TANK. = 33 



complete success. First procure some coarse river or sea 

 sand, such as is used for building purposes, and next sup- 

 ply yourself with a quantity of river or sea pebbles, of 

 small size. Wash both well. Place the latter in a com- 

 mon wire sieve, and let the water run upon, as you dis- 

 turb them, until it runs clear. The sand can be washed 

 in any manner you find most convenient. " Silver sand," 

 as housewives call it, and scouring sand, as we so often 

 find it mixed with dirt, will not answer. At every agitation 

 of the tank they will obscure the water and mar your view 

 of the fish, besides introducing lime, ochre, etc., into your 

 Aquarium, much to the annoyance, if not injury, of its liv- 

 ing inhal3itants. When thoroughly cleaned, distribute to 

 the depth of an inch or so, this sand evenly upon the bot- 

 tom of the tank. Over this sand strew a layer of the 

 cleansed pebbles, and your tank will be complete. The 

 burrowing aquatic animals will find, in the stones and 

 sand, all the facilities they require for their amusement. 

 They will excavate hiding-places and cosy retreats to suit 

 their own temporary caprices, and do it much more satis- 

 factorily than we could by any process of art. And if 

 you have carelessly thrown your pieces of granite, sand- 

 stone, limestone or conglomerate, together with skill, so 

 as to give their arrangement an air of accidental adaptation, 

 their colors blending and their rough projections creating 

 extempore caverns, you will have produced the gloomy 

 haunts which, at times, the fish, etc., love to dart into from 

 2* 



