28 
BY THE WAYSIDE 
BY T HE WA YSIDE 
Published on the tenth of each month except July 
and August . . , 
The official organs of the Wisconsin and Illinois 
Audubon Societies. __ 
Twenty-five cents per year. Single copies 3 cts. 
All communications should be sent to Miss Ruth 
Marshall, Appleton, Wis. 
NATURE STUDY IN THE SCHOOLS. 
IV. Aquaria. 
Nature study can hardly be carried on suc¬ 
cessfully throughout the year without two 
pieces of apparatus—an aquarian and a ter¬ 
rarium. The latter name is a new one to some, 
while the former suggests a costly and 
troublesome thing to others. A few sugges¬ 
tions may help to change these ideas. 
A terrarium or vivarium is simply a cage in 
which living land animals can be /kept. It is 
easily made. Any teacher, especially if she 
have the help of an interested boy, may pos¬ 
sess this indespensible article. There should 
first be found a shallow box for a bottom, 
perhaps three inches deep; 18x24 inches is a 
convenient size for the sides. Next, upright 
posts about eighteen inches long should be 
secured to the corners. An old crate can usu¬ 
ally be found for the purpose, or a box from 
the grocer can be utilized. 
On the frame tack wire netting; and have a 
cover of the same for the top, with one corn¬ 
er loose so that it can be lifted up. Paint may 
improve the apeearance of the cage but it can¬ 
not add to its usefulness. When all is finished, 
cover the bottom with a thick layer of clean 
sand, and put over it some good earth. Have 
a stone pile in one corner. Sink in a shallow 
granite ware or earthen dish and you have a 
© 
miniature pond. Plants may be started in the 
earth. The terrarium is now complete and 
ready for occupancy. It is especially useful 
in the fall and winter when the hibernating of 
animals is to be illustrated. Toads and frogs 
and insects can be made very comfortable in 
it. 
An aquarium means a larger outlay, but it 
amply repays the cost. Aquaria can be pur¬ 
chased, but they are often unsatisfactory. The 
common globes distort the vision; those with 
square frames often leak. Rather, let the in¬ 
terested teacher make one for the school room. 
The boys and girls will help; they may want 
some for themselves. If the teacher or any 
of the pupils can do a good job of soldering, 
the frame can be made at home; if not, a tin¬ 
smith will make one for a small amount. It 
should be made of angle tin; care must be 
taken that the corners are true, and that 
plenty of allowance is made for the glass and 
cement. A large aquarium is not as desir¬ 
able as several, or even one, small one. Select 
standard sizes of window glass for the sides 
and bottom; 8 xlO inches is best. 
The next thing is the cement. Get a pound 
of putty and two ounces each of red lead and 
litharge. Mix them together thoroughly, then 
add a little raw linseed oil, just enough to 
make a stiff mass. Fill this in the frames 
carefully, set in the glasses, and cover over the 
spaces when the edges meet with cement. Set 
th'e aquarium aside for three weeks to dry. 
At the end of this time, paint the frames and 
clean the glass. 
To fit up the aquarium, get first some coarse 
sand. Wash it until the water runs off clear. 
Put two or three inches of this in the bottom 
with some stones. Next, provision must be 
made for some plant life. A common water 
plant, the Elodea, is good because it lives over 
winter. An umbrella plant is easy to get and 
it grows readily in an aquarium, supported 
by stones. When all is ready,' fill with water 
slowly, and you have a piece of school room 
furniture which will be a never ending source 
of pleasure and profit to teachers and pupils 
alike. It can be used for various purposes. 
Clams, snails, water insects, fish and tadpoles 
can here be seen in their natural surroundings 
Of course the aquarium can be used dry as a 
terrarium. 
A common mistake is to suppose that an 
aquarium needs much care and frequent 
change of water. If the plant life is sufficient, 
not too much nor too little, the balance of 
wastes will be preserved and the water need 
not be emptied more than once a year. Nor 
is it hard to get the proper balance of plant 
and animal life. Do not place the aquarian in 
a strong light, else algae, little green water 
plants, will grow on the glass and foul the wa¬ 
ter. A little water should be added to replace 
the loss from evaporation. 
A terrarium and aquarium amply repay the 
trouble of keeping them. It is surprising how 
many uses they will serve in the nature work. 
Full and interesting discussions of the subject 
will be found in Dr. Hodge’s Nature Study and 
Life. R- M. 
