THE FISH AND INSECTS. 
115 
cetera , to occasionally get into the atmosphere. On the summit you may 
place a little moss, and a small fern-plant, by way of variety. This arrange¬ 
ment of rocks should have a natural and accidental appearance, as though 
it had not come there on purpose.” Into the crevices between these pieces 
the little fish like to hide at times, when they wish to shun observation. 
You now pour river or spring water into your tank, and after a few days 
remove it, and replace it with fresh. After the scum has ceased to rise, and 
the water seems to be pure, you remove it, and replenish with fresh. Now 
is the time to stock it. 
The first thing is vegetable matter. Go to the nearest brook, pond, or 
run, and you will soon be able to select small water-plants, with which to 
commence your water-garden. Of these, you may begin with a single 
plant of starwort, which you will find in any pond. Then add a plant of 
mlisneria spiralis. At the bottom of brooks and runs, you will find, on 
rocks and stones, small plants of river -weed. Add one of these, stone and 
all. The water weed, a species of anacharsis which you will find in ponds 
and slow-running streams, is a necessary as well as a handsome plant; but 
it multiplies so fast that you will be obliged occasionally to remove some of 
it. The tape-grass will bo found in some rivers, and you must obtain two 
plants, one male and the other .female. They are to be distinguished by 
their flowers—the male being borne on short and straight, while the female 
flowers are on long, spiral foot-stalks. On the projecting rock you may cul¬ 
tivate the forget-me-not. To these you may add one or two others, from 
time to time, but do not crowd your aquarium. To set them, place a ball 
of clay around the roots, sink it, and hold it in place with two or three peb¬ 
bles. It wall soon take care of itself. 
THE FISH AND INSECTS. 
About a week after the plants are in, removing in the mean while dead 
leaves and scum, or other impurities, you introduce your fish, and 
one or two fresh-water snails, who 
will act as scavengers. Of these 
last, one of the varieties of planorbis 
is best. The crawfish, which every 
boy knows, will be a very pleasant 
inhabitant. 
Of fish, the first fellow to intro¬ 
duce to confined quarters will be the 
dace, a lively, graceful little fellow, 
with a black stripe running length¬ 
wise. You will find him in most 
small streams, where he may bo 
caught with a hand-net. The 
stickleback is a fine fish for your 
purpose. You want a pair of 
CBAWFISH. 
