[t '902 



Notes from My Aquarium, 



No. L 



ITS CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT. 



(Re-printed from " Ashore or Afloat," for July 2jth, 1883.^ 



Since the year 1852, when Mr. P. H. Gosse, F.R.S., suc- 

 ceeded in establishing and maintaining for some years a 

 still- water marine aquarium, an unflagging interest has been 

 created in marine aquaria. Year by year improved methods 

 of construction have been devised, until to-day we are in 

 possession of data by which it is easy to study the habits and 

 development of by far the greater portion of our commoner 

 marine animals. 



It is not every one who has the opportunity of working in 

 a public aquarium, and as I happened to be one of those, I 

 decided to build an aquarium for myself. Thanks to the 

 kindly advice of Mr. John T. Carrington, of the Roval 

 Aquarium, Westminster, I had little trouble in getting the 

 necessary plans and apparatus. The building which was 

 erected for the purpose is 30 feet by 18 feet, fronting almost 

 due north, and with a square tower at the east end. The 

 north side is devoted to four tanks, made of slate, with glass 

 only at the front. The windows are at the top of the tanks, 

 so that light only enters from above. There is a long tank 

 on the west side, and at one window on the south side there 

 are also two tanks 3 feet by 1 foot, divided by movable 

 partitions, which are used to isolate any special objects of 

 study. Another window on the south side is devoted to a 

 study table, and the east end of the building is taken up by 

 cabinets, bookcase, etc., so as to have everything at hand. The 

 piping, which is of vulcanite, was made by Messrs. Leete, 

 Edwards & Norman, and the system of aeration is as 

 follows : — Under the ground there are two reservoirs holding 

 about 2,000 gallons each, connected together by a three-inch 

 vulcanite pipe. In the tower already spoken of there is a 

 vulcanite pipe, worked by a water-motor ; the water is thus 

 pumped out of one reservoir into a tank in the tower about 

 twenty-five feet above the floor of the building; from this we 

 get the fall for aeration in the tanks, and the overflow is 

 returned into the other reservoir. Thus the circulation is 

 complete ; and, besides, we are enabled in case of accident 

 to shut off one reservoir, either for repair or for making a 

 fresh supply of salt water. There is a modification of the 



