44 
THE NEW YORK AQUARIUM JOURNAL. 
•W. S. 'W'.AEELID, Editor. 
NEW YORK, DECEMBER 20 , 1876 . 
The Aquarium Journal will be published semi¬ 
monthly at the New York Aquarium, corner of 35th 
Street and Broadway, New York Citv. 
Though intended for distribution among the 
patrons of the Aquarium, the Journal will also be 
forwarded for one year, by mail, or delivered by 
carriers to any address on receipt of one dollar, which 
mm is a mere nominal one, since it includes postal 
charge and expense oj mailing and delivery. 
All communications should be addressed to W. 
C. COUP, corner 35/A Street St Broadway. 
An important result will have failed of its 
accomplishment if the establishment of the 
New York Aquarium has not served to direct 
the visitor’s attention to the study, as well as 
general observing, of the structure and hab¬ 
its of the many marine forms there displayed. 
While there are, b eyond question, many who 
are drawn to the Aquarium by another mo- 
tive than that of idle though worthy curiosity, 
yet is it also certain that the majority who 
visit it are as yet unfamiliar with the special 
peculiarities of many of the most interesting 
creatures here exhibited, and who, if they 
were told of them, would find their visits 
much more satisfactory and profitable. 
It was with a view of heightening this pop¬ 
ular interest, by the aid of instructive and 
brief essays on the various subjects treated, 
that this Journal was established ; and in the 
furtherance of this service we would direct 
special attention to several objects which are 
deserving of more consideration than they ap¬ 
pear to have received. 
First among these would we mention the 
Kingiyo, which is the sole occupant of table 
tank 24 of the fresh water series. The ac¬ 
companying illustrated description of this 
rare and beautiful creature gives such infor¬ 
mation regarding its history as may be need¬ 
ed ; but we desire to emphasize the fact that, 
so far as can be learned, this fish has attained 
to its paesent peculiarity of form and struc¬ 
ture as the result of a careful system of cul¬ 
ture. The existence among our own native 
gold fish of specimens which exhibit, in a 
lesser degree, this phenomenon of the so- 
called “ three tails,” is well known, as at least 
one specimen, if not more, is already on ex¬ 
hibition in one of the globes near the entrance. 
Whether by grouping fish of this character 
together, and then by a watchful system of 
breeding, selecting the exaggerated types and 
isolating them from the others, the result 
might not eventually prove to be a veritable 
Kingiyo, is a question yet to be definitely 
settled. Hence it is that this peculiar fish is 
one of special interest. 
Again, we have the Proteus, an illustrated 
description of which appears elsewhere. The 
peculiar structure of the breathing organs, 
combined with other features, have led cer¬ 
tain modern theorists to claim for this creature 
a middle place between the reptile and the 
fish. 
The visitor cannot have examined the Anem¬ 
ones without perceiving that here is a field 
that might worthily be cultivated. The op¬ 
portunity for observing the habits of these 
beautiful creatures, in order to determine not 
only their structure but their intelligent ac¬ 
tions, is unrivaled, and already is the natu¬ 
ralist of the institution, and others who share 
his interest, carefully noting the methods by 
which these creatures multiply and increase, 
not as is usual by means of eggs, but by 
means of detached portions of the body, 
which gradually assume a form similar to 
that of the parent stock, until atjength the 
detached section blooms out into a minute 
but perfectly formed Anemone. 
Then, also, we have before us in great va¬ 
riety the interesting Hermit and Spider Crabs, 
both of which, by virtue of special peculiari¬ 
ties, are objects of peculiar interest, and 
worthy of special study. 
From time to time we shall devote exten¬ 
sive space to illustrated descriptions of these 
itor would do well to critically examine and 
become familiar with them. If these are 
beautiful and strange as they appear, still 
greater will be their interest when more is 
learned of their habits and the marvelous 
peculiarities of their structure 
HERMIT CRABS. 
Scattered at intervals on the shingle bottomed 
tank (6) or in closely collected groups, wil be seen 
numbers of those quaint Crustacea, remarkable 
for their habit of approaching the deserted shells 
of other animals, for the better protection of their 
otherwise tender and defenceless hinder quarters. 
This foregoing peculiarity has won for them the 
popular title of Hermit Crabs, although on ac¬ 
count of their extremely irritable and pugilistic 
disposition, they are about equally well known 
as Soldier Crabs. The Hermit Crab (Pagurus 
bernhardlls'), is most frequently found, when 
young, inhabiting the cast-off shell of the Dog- 
winkle (Purpura lapillus , and at a more ad¬ 
vanced condition of growth than that of the Com¬ 
mon Whelk (.Buccinum undatum). The process 
by which the Hermit Crabs have gained possess¬ 
ion of these highly ornamental residences, in place 
of their former sybaritic hut, is an artificial one, 
each individual having been originally extracted 
from an ordinary Whelk shell, and left in com¬ 
pany with others of a foreign type, from which 
it almost immediately made a selection. On the 
shores of tropical seas Hermit Crabs normally 
inhabit these brilliantly-colored and fantastic¬ 
shaped abodes, including also the beautifully- 
spotted and naturally highly polished Cowries ; 
in this latter instance the species of Hermit has 
a specially flattened body and general contour 
to enable it to utilize these remarkably narrow- 
apertured shells as a suitable protection. 
JAPANESE KINGIYO. 
The presence in the Aquarium of this won¬ 
derfully beautiful, and strangely grotesque fish, 
should be a cause for special congratulation. 
The specimen exhibited in table tank 24, oi the 
fresh water series, was brought from Japan by a 
gentleman who has furnished the following in¬ 
teresting facts regarding it: 
Starting from Japan with eighty-eight, he ar¬ 
rived in Baltimore with but seven, all of which 
are now alive and in good health. The captain 
of the steamer taking great interest in his efforts 
to introduce the fish to America, built a tank on 
the steamer to accommodate them, and took in 
a supply of river water ; but it was soon found 
that the motion of the ship dashed the fish 
against the sides of the tank and many were 
lost. To obviate this a smaller tank was built 
and suspends! iikc tBc'i.iMhjkAS, 
acted the motion of the ship; but notwithstand¬ 
ing all the care bestowed on them only fifteen 
arrived in San Francisco, all in a very weak con¬ 
dition. Of these eight subsequently died. 
The Japanese claim that the brilliant colors 
displayed in this fish, and the wonderful de¬ 
velopment of its triple tail, is the result of many 
years careful breeding. This one is an unusually 
fine specimen. In Baltimore great care was 
taken of the seven survivors, and during the 
summer they spawned, the result being about 
fifty young fry, which exhibit all the peculiarities 
of the originals. It is the intention of the owner 
when he has a sufficient stock, to donate them 
among persons who will take an interest in them 
and carefully raise them. 
For the benefit of any of our readers who have 
not as yet been able to visit the Aquarium, we 
would state that in outline and general appear¬ 
ance the above illustration, drawn from life by 
Mr. Vance, is exact and truthful in every par¬ 
ticular. The body is red in color, similar to* 
that of a brilliantly-hued gold fish ; the tail,, 
however, is a pearly white, and as it rests in the 
water presents the appearance of a fine, silken 
fabric, terminating in a delicate fringe. In ad - 
dition to the peculiar attraction which the form 
of the fish is to the general observer, the natural¬ 
ist will find in its very existence and the tradition 
regarding its origin theme for thoughtful study. 
If the Chinese can accomplish such iesults in 
the modification of special features, by aid of 
their crude appliances, there is every reason to 
believe that, with our more complete arrange¬ 
ments, still more marvelous results may be ob¬ 
tained. At least the attempt is to be made, and 
already the naturalist of the Aquarium has 
taken measures to apply and test the Chinese 
methods with the hope that still more valuable 
results may be secured. A careful record of 
these experiments shall be kept, and at a future 
day we shall hope to present to Our readers, and 
exhibit to the publiq specimens of fish, the re¬ 
sults of special culture, which will rival in 
interest the oriental beauty now on exhibition,. 
