POPULAR WORK ON BRITISH FERNS. 
 
 FULLY ILLUSTRATED, PRICE HALF A CROWN, 
 
 A PLAIN AND EASY ACCOUNT 
 
 OP 
 
 THE BEITISH TEENS, 
 
 WHEREIN 
 
 Each Species is described xinder its respective Genus, 
 
 and tlie Characteristics of those Genera given 
 
 in words of common use. 
 
 WITH 
 
 A GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS. 
 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. E. BOSAKQUET, M.A. 
 
 SECOND EDITION, '^ENLARGED AND RE-AEEANGED. 
 
 " The present treatise is the simplest that has yet been published 
 on the subject of British Ferns. It is a successful attempt to give, 
 in a popular form, an easy and satisfactory outline of this branch of 
 Botany. It carefully avoids all technical language, and in words of 
 common use describes each Species under its respective Genus, and 
 the Characteristics of those Genera. It will also serve as a useful key 
 to larger and more learned treatises, and it contains at the end a 
 copious and correct Glossary of Technical Terms in Botany. It is 
 elegantly got up, and may be strongly recommended as a careful 
 compilation from larger and more ambitious works of the same class." 
 — Weekly Times. 
 
 " A useful little book for those who wish to begin the study of 
 cultivation of British Ferns." — Spectator. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 ROBEfiT HAEDWICKE, 26, DUKE STEEET, PICCADILLY, 
 
 AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2009 with funding from 
 
 NCSU Libraries 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/aquavivariumfresOOIank 
 
E E. K T I S P T E C E 
 
 ^fairccLse/ Wwdow arrangeil' for Aquavivaruan ajifbiemery 
 
THE 
 
 AQUAVIVARIUM, 
 
 FRESH AND MARINE; 
 
 BEING 
 
 AN ACCOUXT OF THE PEES'CIPLES AND OBJECTS DIVOLYED Dv THE 
 DOMESTIC CULTUKE OF WATER PLANTS AND ANDTALS. 
 
 BY 
 
 E. LANKESTEE, M.D. 
 
 "Omnes tanquam ad Tivaria currunt," — Jxtteital. 
 
 5L5Iitfj numrrous Jillustrations. 
 
 LONDON: 
 ROBERT HARDT7ICKE, 26, DUKE ST. PICCADILLY; 
 
 AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Having taken considerable interest iu the 
 domestic culture of plants and animals in water, 
 and wi'itten the article " Aquavivarium " for the 
 English Cyclopsedia, I was induced, at the request 
 of the Publisher, to put together the following 
 remarks. I have done so in the hope that they 
 will in some manner contribute to make the pre- 
 vailing taste for establishing domestic Aquavivaria 
 subservient to the teaching of Natural History, 
 and the study of God's Works. 
 
 R L. 
 
 8, Savile Eow, 
 September 26th, 1856. 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Plate I.— FRONTISPIECE. 
 
 Staircase Window arranged as an Aquavivarium and 
 Fernery. 
 
 Plate II. 
 
 Ornamental Wire-stand, combining Aquavivarium and 
 Flower-stand. 
 
 Plate III.— TANKS, &c. 
 
 Fig. 1. Oblong Tank. 
 
 2. Deep Jar. 
 
 3. Propagating-Glass reversed, and put on Stand. 
 
 4. Octagonal Tank on Stand. 
 
 Plate IV.— PLANTS. 
 
 Fig, 1 . Water Crowfoot. 
 
 2. Spiked Water Millfoil. 
 
 3. Vallarsia. 
 
 4. Water Speedwell. 
 
 5. Homwort, 
 
 6. "Valesneria. 
 
 7. Anacharis Alsinastrum. 
 
 8. Frogbit. 
 
 9. Water Soldier. 
 
 10. Fennel-leaved Pondweed. 
 
 11. Common Stone wort. 
 
 12. Marestail. 
 
 13. Water Violet. 
 
WOODCUTS. 
 
 
 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 1. Tadpole 39 
 
 2. Common Smooth Newt (Male) . . 
 
 39 
 
 3. Common Smooth Newt (Female) 
 
 
 
 .. 39 
 
 4. Common Water Newt 
 
 
 
 40 
 
 5, Stickleback 
 
 
 
 .. 44 
 
 6. Minnow 
 
 
 
 46 
 
 7. Loach . . 
 
 
 
 .. 47 
 
 8. Gudgeon . . 
 
 
 
 47 
 
 9. Water Spider . . 
 
 
 
 .. 49 
 
 10. Hydrophilus piceus 
 
 
 
 51 
 
 11-12. Dyticus mai'ginalis (Male and Female 
 
 ) • 
 
 
 .. 52 
 
 13. Water Scorpion . . 
 
 
 
 53 
 
 14-15. Colymbetes.. 
 
 
 
 .. .54 
 
 16-17. Water Boatmen 
 
 
 
 54 
 
 18. Caddice-Worm 
 
 
 
 .. 54 
 
 19. Coil-Shell 
 
 
 
 55 
 
 20. Marsh Mud-Shell 
 
 
 
 .. 55 
 
 21. Lake Mud-Shell 
 
 
 
 56 
 
 22. Common Marsh Shell 
 
 
 
 .. 56 
 
 23. Pearl Mussel 
 
 
 
 57 
 
 24. Grey Mullet 
 
 
 
 .. 64 
 
 25. Ballan Wrasse 
 
 
 
 64 
 
 26. Hermit Crab 
 
 
 
 .. 65 
 
 27. Serpula contortuphcata . . 
 
 
 
 65 
 
 28. Periwinkle 
 
 
 
 .. 66 
 
 29. Ascidian Moliusk . . 
 
 
 
 66 
 
 30. Common Cross-Fish, or Five-fingers 
 
 
 
 .. 67 
 
 31. Gibbous Railet 
 
 
 
 68 
 
 32. Anthea cereus . . 
 
 
 
 .. 69 
 
 33. Actinia coriacea . . 
 
 
 
 69 
 
 34. Actinia Mesembryanthemum 
 
 
 
 .. 70 
 
 ERRATUM. 
 Page 14, Hne 7, for "Plate IV.," reacf "Plate III." 
 
THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 FIEST PEIXCIPLES. 
 
 Although it is not necessaiy to the practice of 
 human arts that men should be acquainted with 
 the scientific laws involved in the processes they 
 perform, yet it is admitted on all hands, that an 
 intelligent workman is better than an ignorant one ; 
 and that a man who knows the nature of the mate- 
 rials on which he has to work, will perform his 
 labour more successfully than one who does not. It 
 is on this account we think it necessary to introduce 
 our little book on the Aqua vivarium, by laying down 
 the principles on which it is constructed and main- 
 tained. ISTor let any one suppose that mastering 
 these is a needless waste of time. We promise the 
 student that it will afford him instruction, illustrate 
 great laws, and save him much trouble, anxiety, 
 and expense in the management of his Aqua- 
 vivarium. 
 
 A vessel of water containing plants and animals 
 must be looked upon as a little world ; it may, in 
 fact, be so constructed as to have no communication 
 with the great world in which it exists, and of 
 which it forms a part, and yet all its inhabitants 
 live and prosper. In order that this result may 
 
 15 
 
2 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 be secured, such an arrangement of plants and 
 animals must be made in the vessel of water as we 
 find made upon the surface of the earth. There 
 must be such a relation between them that the one 
 may supply the other with what it wants. If we 
 take a jar of spring or river water, and put into it 
 some gold fish, they die in the course of a few days, 
 unless the water is changed ; but if we put them 
 into cold boiled water they die in a few minutes, 
 and no amount of fresh boiled water will keep them 
 alive. If, now, we put in some plants which natu- 
 rally grow in the water, we shall find that our 
 fishes will live in it without a change of the water. 
 These, then, are the problems we have to solve : — 
 What caused the death of the fishes in the spring 
 and boiled water *? and. Why do they live in the 
 water with plants ? Having explained these phe- 
 nomena, we shall see how they bear on the con- 
 struction of our Aquavivarium. 
 
 The fish, although it lives in water, has as much 
 need of fresh air as animals that live and breathe 
 in the atmosphere. If we put a bird, or a mouse, 
 under a glass jar, it dies in the course of a few 
 minutes : and there are two causes for its death j— 
 first, it needs a fresh supply of oxygen to aerate its 
 blood, which is not supplied in the closed glass jar ; 
 second, it is necessary that the carbonic acid gas, 
 — which is generated in its system, and which acts 
 upon it as a poison, — should be got rid of, which 
 cannot be efiected in the closed glass jar. Thus the 
 animal dies because two necessary processes of its 
 life are not carried on. 
 
 The fish, it is true, has not lungs into which it 
 takes air, but it has gills, which are adapted for 
 absorbing air from the water in which it lives. 
 All water, then, which is to support the life of 
 animals breathing by means of gills, must contain 
 
FIRST PRINCIPLES. > 6 
 
 oxygen gas. All water naturally contains this gas ; 
 it descends from the atmosphere in the form of 
 rain containing it, and in passing through the earth, 
 and bubbling up in springs, or rolling down to the 
 sea in rivers and forming the great ocean itself, it 
 never loses its oxygen gas but as it is withdrawn 
 from it by the aquatic animals tliat live in it. It 
 is thus that well-water and river-water — even that 
 of the dirty Thames — contains enough oxygen to 
 support the life of fishes for some days. But the 
 time comes when the fish wt.11 have consumed 
 nearly all the oxygen, and then they begin to die ; 
 they are then like the animals in the closed glass 
 jar ; for although there may be plenty of oxygen in 
 the air above the water, they cannot breatlie this 
 by- means of their gills, and they die for want of 
 oxygen. They also convert the oxygen into car- 
 bonic acid gas, which accumulating in the water 
 becomes a source of poisoning to them as to the 
 animals in the closed glass jar ; the fish then die of 
 sufibcation, and are as much drowned in the water 
 as a man would be. 
 
 It is on this account, then, that if we put fish 
 into water which has been boiled, they die imme- 
 diately, because the boiling expels the oxygen gas : 
 no amount, therefore, of cold boiled water will 
 keep fish alive. 
 
 But now we find, that by putting growing plants 
 into the water, our fish will not only not die in the 
 course of a few hours, but that if we manage our 
 plants skilfuUy, they will live on for any length of 
 time without any change of the water at all. Let 
 ns inquii'e how this is. If we take a water-plant 
 and place it in a jar, and expose it for a few hours 
 to the light of the sun, we frequently find stream- 
 ing up from its leaves a succession of little bubbles 
 of air : if we catch these bubbles, — and this can 
 
 B 2 
 
4 THE AQUAVIVAKIUM. 
 
 easily be done in a tube inverted over water, — and 
 test them, we shall find they consist of pure 
 oxygen gas. The leaves of all growing plants are 
 constantly engaged in giving off oxygen gas ; here, 
 then, is the source, not only of oxygen to the 
 atmosphere, replacing what animals take away in 
 breathing, but also to the water in which plants 
 live. We now begin to see why it is that fish 
 will live in water where plants grow, and die 
 where they are not. But this is not the whole 
 of the functions performed by plants ; in the atmo- 
 sphere they would not save animal life from destruc- 
 tion if they only restored the oxygen. There is the 
 carbonic acid. This gas, so destructive of animal 
 life, is constantly being produced by animals. It is 
 the great distinguishing feature between animals 
 and plants, that animals take up oxygen and throw 
 out carbonic acid j the animals would therefore be 
 poisoned by their own secretion, but for the fact, 
 that what is the poison of the animal kingdom is 
 the food of plants. They live on carbonic acid ; 
 they abstract it from the air and the soil, they 
 absorb it from the water. It is in this way that 
 plants purify the water. The carbonic acid is 
 composed of carbon and of oxygen, and plants 
 have the power of separating and using the carbon 
 for forming the tissues of which they are composed, 
 and letting go the oxygen gas. 
 
 It is thus that we find that our jar of water with 
 plants and animals is truly a microcosm, — a minia- 
 ture world, in which all the gi'eat changes go on 
 which are necessary to the life of man, and the 
 maintenance of animals and plants on the surface 
 of the earth. 
 
 But these changes, although the most essential, 
 are not all that go on in plants and animals, and 
 constitute a mutual relation between them. Thus, 
 
FIRST PRINCIPLES. O 
 
 animals require the substance called nitrogen to 
 form the flesh of their bodies ; and this they obtain 
 either directly from plants, or fi'om other animals 
 -which have fed on plants. Plants obtain the nitro- 
 gen which they possess from animals, or animal 
 substances in a state of putrefaction. The nitrogen, 
 when it is given off from the animal body, unites 
 ■with another gas, hydrogen, and the two form a 
 third gas, called ammonia, and which is well known 
 on account of its pungent odour ; it forms the basis 
 of smelling-salts, and the spirit of sal volatile. In 
 this way plants are supplied with another kind of 
 food from the animal kingdom, and the animals in 
 turn derive their food from the vegetable kincrdom. 
 Such is the absolute dependence of these two gi'eat 
 kingdoms one upon the other. The interchange of 
 the four elements, — carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and 
 nitrogen, — in the vegetable and animal body con- 
 stitutes the principal phenomena of life. There is 
 no existence for plants or animals but as these foiu' 
 elements re-act upon each other ; at the same time 
 other substances exert a remarkable influence on 
 the life of both plants and animals : thus we find 
 fish living in one pond and not in another, plants 
 flomishing in one river dying directly they are 
 transported to another. The most remai'kable 
 instance of this is the peculiarity of the forms of 
 plants and animals living in the sea as contrasted 
 with those living in fresh water. This does not 
 depend upon any of the general conditions to which 
 we have alluded, but simply on the substance con- 
 tained in the water ; the sea-water contains com- 
 mon salt, with a few other saline matters ; and it is 
 mainly the common salt that the varied forms of 
 animal and vegetable life which live in the sea 
 require in order to thrive and grow. That this is 
 a fact, and not an hypothesis, is proved by the arti- 
 
6 THE AQUA VIVARIUM. 
 
 ficial marine Aquavivarimii. In this arrangement 
 for cultivating plants and animals, fresh water is 
 converted into sea-water by simply adding the 
 common salt and other substances. Marine plants 
 and animals introduced into this liquid live as well 
 as in their native element. It is in this way that 
 we are able to cultivate in our drawing-rooms, not 
 only the living animals of rivers, and lakes, and 
 ])onds, but those of the great ocean itself. 
 
 Between sea-plants and animals and fi'esh-water 
 plants and animals there are many gradations ; 
 some forms requiring bi*ackish water, — some re- 
 quiring this mineral ingredient and others that ; 
 and a little study of the composition of water in 
 which plants and animals are found will enable 
 persons to succeed in the culture of even greater 
 varieties than have hitherto been attempted. 
 
 In the above facts we have an illustration of the 
 principles which are necessary to secure life, but 
 nevertheless we cannot prevent death. It is one 
 of the characters of organic life, that its forms 
 should perish, and ample provision is made in the 
 structure of the plant and animal for the main- 
 tenance of the species. Both animals and plants 
 die, and the elements of which they were composed 
 are ultimately reduced to a state in which they 
 may again become the food of plants. But before 
 this takes place, a process of putrefaction sets in, 
 which has a power of spreading from the dead to 
 the dying and from the dying to the healthy, so 
 that putrefaction is a process to be avoided as 
 much as possible. In order to prevent this in the 
 great field of the world, certain animals are formed 
 who prefer dead to living prey, whose digestive 
 powers enable them to convert putrefying tissue 
 into the substance of their own bodies. Such 
 animals are the vultures and carrion crows 
 
FIEST PRI>-CIPLES. 7 
 
 amorigst, birds ; the crocodiles amongst reptiles ; 
 the sturgeons amongst fish ; the beetles amongst 
 insects ; and the water-snails amongst the MoUusca : 
 these are the scavengers of nature, and if man 
 imitated nature more closely, we should find a 
 larger number of scavengers in all our great towns 
 than we do at present. 
 
 If we would, then, avoid mortality from putre- 
 fying substances which spread cholera and fevers 
 amongst our water pets, vv'e must employ some sca- 
 vengers. These are best selected from the various 
 forms of Mollusca. It is, however, necessary in our 
 selection to remember that many of our molluscous 
 scavengers, like human ones, have a taste for some- 
 thing better than garbage, and unless due discrimi- 
 nation is used, our living plants as well as our dead 
 ones will fall a prey. 
 
 Another point to be attended to in the manage- 
 ment of an Aquavivarium is the regulation of 
 temperature. "With regard to the endurance of 
 change of temperature, man is altogether the most 
 remarkable animal — he endures and flourishes 
 wherever other animals are found ; but the great 
 mass of the lower animals are made for special 
 temperatures. Those which dwell in polar regions 
 die on going north and south. The limits of the 
 extension of many animals are found within the 
 tropics. Species in the jS'orth Sea cannot, for the 
 heat, pass to the south, and vice versa. In like 
 manner, the denizens of our water vivaries are 
 limited to certain temperatures, above or below 
 which they v.ill not exist. Some will bear lower 
 and some higher temperatures better than others; a 
 frost that will nip off all the Actince in a sea-tank 
 will produce no eflect upon gold fish in a fresh- 
 water tank. The same with plants ; a frost that 
 will fatally blight Valisneria spiralis, will leave 
 
8 THE AQUA VIVARIUM. 
 
 Anacliaris alsinastrum more vigorous than ever. 
 The habits of our plants and animals in this respect 
 must be studied. As a rule, it is safer never to let 
 the temperature fall below 40° or to rise higher 
 than Q5° or 70°. Hence the importance of selecting 
 proper situations for permanent tanks. If they 
 are exposed to the north, they must be looked 
 after in the winter, lest they get too cold j and if 
 to the south, in summer, lest they get too hot. 
 
 The world is supplied with light from the same 
 source as heat ; at the same time, it is most im- 
 portant to distinguish between the action of these 
 two agents : we can always command heat but not 
 light. If we grow plants in a dark cellar, we 
 shall find, although they have plenty of heat, that, 
 for the want of light, they become pale and die. 
 Plants exposed to a northern aspect will die, whilst 
 those in the south will flourish and produce their 
 flowers and fruit : this arises from the action of 
 light. Not only do our large water-plants grow best 
 in the light, but a thousand minute forms of plants 
 start into existence when the Aqua vivarium is ex- 
 posed to the light of the sun. This wonderful agency 
 of light seems to arise from its chemical action on 
 the material of which the plant is composed : this 
 action is the same as that which takes place when 
 a sun-picture is produced. Just in proportion to 
 the light of the sun is the change produced on the 
 photographic paper ; and just in proportion to the 
 light of the sun is the growth of vegetable matter 
 in the Aquavivarium. We have thus a powerful 
 means in our hands of increasing or decreasing the 
 growth of the plants which we are cultivating. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 HISTOEY OF THE AQUAVIVARIOI. 
 
 If there has been no open controversy, there 
 has been a good deal of latent feeling on the sub- 
 ject of the invention of collections of plants and 
 animals in water. The subject has not appeared 
 to me to be one of so great interest as to demand 
 original research, and I shall therefore speak of the 
 history as far as my own memory serves me. To 
 whomsoever credit may be given for perfecting these 
 arrangements, I cannot for a moment doubt that 
 the original idea was taken from the success attend- 
 ing the cultivation of plants in closed glass cases, 
 on the plan recommended by Mr. Ward. It was 
 his genius that saw, in the accidental sprouting of 
 a fern in a glass bottle, the means of maintaining 
 ifresh vegetation in the midst of the smoke and dirt 
 of London. ^Yhen he had succeeded in fitting up 
 his first fernery in Wellclose Square, he was not 
 long in discovering, that in the little pools which he 
 so ingeniously constructed there, gold fishes and 
 other creatui-es would live in the water, provided 
 plants were present, as animals lived in the air of 
 his fernery. The cultiu-e of ferns in cases, by 
 Mr. Ward's friends, led naturally to the culture of 
 water-plants in the same cases, and air-breatliing 
 and water-breathing animals were introduced, to 
 increase the interest of the scene. As early as 
 June, 1849, Mr. Ward stated, at a meeting of the 
 British Association at Oxford, that he had suc- 
 ceeded, not only in growing sea-weeds in sea-water, 
 but in sea-water artificially made. This must cer- 
 tainly be regarded as the first step towards realizing 
 
10 THE AQUA VIVARIUM. 
 
 the marine Aquavivarium. From this time ex- 
 periments of* various kinds were tried, for the 
 purpose of enabling persons away from the sea- 
 side to keep marine animals. A lady in London 
 frequently surprised the scientific societies by exhi- 
 biting beautiful living specimens of rare marine 
 animals ; and these she succeeded in keeping for 
 many months by aerating the sea- water by pouring- 
 it from one vessel to another. 
 
 Previous to the year 1850, many experiments 
 had been made in London of keeping sticklebacks, 
 gold fish, and other animals, in jars containing 
 Valisneria. I find, from some of my own notes, 
 that I had sticklebacks in a jar containing Valis- 
 neria and Water Starwort, in 1849. In March, 
 1850, Mr. Kobert "Warington read a paper before 
 the Chemical Society, which was afterwards pub- 
 lished in the journal of that Society, in which he 
 described the general conditions necessary to the 
 growth of plants and animals in jars of water, and 
 gave an account of his own arrangements for that 
 purpose. 
 
 The practicability of establishing arrangements 
 of this kind had been often discussed in the council 
 of the Zoological Society, and in 1852 they deter- 
 mined to erect, under the skilful giiidance of 
 Mr. Mitchell, a house in their gardens in Regent's 
 Park, large enough to hold several water-tanks for 
 marine and fresh- water animals. In the spring of 
 1853 this house was opened, and at once gave an 
 immense impetus to the establishment of water- 
 vivaries. Most of the marine creatures contained 
 in it were obtained by Mr. Gosse, who had pre- 
 viously cultivated marine animals with plants in 
 sea-water. An account of his experiments is given 
 in his very interesting " Rambles of a Naturalist 
 on the Devonshii-e Coast." In 1854 Mr. Gosse 
 
HISTORY OF. 11 
 
 published a beautiful volume, entitled " The Aqua- 
 rium," in which he describes minutely the structure 
 and habits of a larsje number of marine animals 
 adapted for domestication in vessels of sea-water. 
 
 After the success of his experiments with fresh- 
 water plants and animals, Mr. Wariiigton com- 
 menced operating upon madne plants and animals 
 with sea-water. In this he has been more suc- 
 cessful than any other operator, probably arising 
 from the care with which he constructed his tanks. 
 An account of his experiments is given in the 
 "Annals of Natural History" for November, 1853. 
 Many important hints and suggestions will be found 
 in Mr. Warington's other papers in the " Annals 
 of Natural History." 
 
 Since the opening of the house in the Zoological 
 Gardens, numerous pa})€i*s and books on the subject 
 of the Aquavivarium have appeared. Mr. Gosse 
 has written a little book, containinor dii'ections 
 for managing the marine aquarium. Mr. Shirley 
 Hibberd has devoted considerable snace, in his 
 work on " Kustic Adornments for Homes of Tast€," 
 to the management of the Water vivaries. Dr. 
 Badham also, who has made Felixstow a classical 
 spot for the marine naturalist, has contributed his 
 experience on the subject. We ought also to 
 mention Mr. William Thompson, of Weymouth, 
 who has been a collector of specimens for domes- 
 tication from the first, and Mr. W. Alford Lloyd, 
 of London, who, by his enterprise in securing 
 specimens for his beautiful collections, has done 
 much to extend our knowledge of how to manasre 
 the Aquavivarium, as well as to create a taste for 
 its adoption. 
 
 Having said thus much with regard to its his- 
 tory, I must say a word or two on the name. 
 " What's in a name 1 " is a question often asked to 
 
12 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 defend the use of inappropriate, absurd, and even 
 wrong names. If you are going to give a thing a 
 new name, then, indeed, it does not much signify 
 what name you give it. A high authority. Sir 
 John Herschell, says, that under these circum- 
 stances, a " nonsense name " is best. Perhaps it 
 is. But it is one of the glories of our English 
 language that we can make use of words from other 
 languages without corrupting our own ; and we 
 have a habit of naming new things significantly — 
 let Panopticon, Perambulator, and Polytechnic, 
 stand as examples. 
 
 All parties are agreed that to use old names in a 
 new sense is bad. The collections of water-plants 
 and animals that we have been speaking of have 
 been called a " Vivarium " and an " Aquarium." 
 They are both Latin words, used by Koman folks 
 in times of old. By a " Vivarium " they meant a 
 collection of any living animals : a wild-beast 
 show, a hutch of rabbits, or a pond with fish, was 
 equally a Vivarium. To call our water collections 
 ■sivaria, then, is correct enough, but not distinctive. 
 We might as well call it a show ; and if we must 
 Saxonize the word we want, it would be a water- 
 beast-plant-show. It is clear, however, that we 
 cannot use so uncouth a word as this, although our 
 German friends might. 
 
 The objections to Vivarium have led to the use 
 of Aquarium ; but here we have another Latin word 
 with already a definite meaning. A Roman Aqua- 
 rium was a reservoir for water, whether used for 
 drinking, bathing, or other purposes. It may be 
 applied to a jug or a pond : it expresses but one- 
 half of our show. We have not only water but 
 living creatures. When it became necessary to 
 write the article Aquarium in the " English Cyclo- 
 paedia," these objections occurred to the word, and 
 
HOW TO FORM. 13 
 
 in a conversation with Mr. Charles Knight, he 
 suggested, w-hat appeared to me to be a very happy 
 word — Aquavivarium — as expressing both the 
 characters of our show. It was accordingly 
 adopted, and published in that work in June, 
 1853. Mr. Gosse says, " The objection to this 
 is its awkward length and uncouthness, which 
 render it unsuitable for a popular exhibition or 
 domestic amenity." I cannot think that the word 
 is either awkward from its length, or uncouth. 
 That it is un suited for a popular exhibition can 
 hardly be urged, when such words as Polytechnic, 
 Zoological, Pantechnicon, Amphitheatre, and others, 
 are popularly used. AVith regard to its inter- 
 ference with domestic amenity, I must leave to 
 the decision of those wdio use it in their family 
 circles. Several of my friends employ the w'ord, 
 and I have not heard of any " domestic amenity " 
 having been destroyed. For those who prefer the 
 analogies of our own language, there is the Saxon- 
 Latin word, AYater-vivary, or the more purely 
 Saxon, Water-show. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 HOW TO FORM AN AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 Any vessel that will hold water can be converted 
 into an Aquavivarium j a hand-basin, a foot-bath, 
 a finger-dish, a soup-plate, or a pickle-bottle, may 
 be made the subjects of a first experiment. It will 
 soon be found, however, that vessels which are not 
 transparent, and which you have to look into, espe- 
 cially if they are deep, are not so convenient and 
 interesting as those made of glass. For observa- 
 
14 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 tion, the clearer and more transparent the glass is, 
 the better. Thus, for small collections, white glass 
 bottles with wide mouths, or jars such as are used 
 by confectioners and druggists, will be found useful. 
 Bottles are convenient for transj)orting things, but 
 very inconvenient when objects need to be removed 
 from them. Deep jars, such as Fig. 2, Plate EV., liU 
 are well adapted for growing such plants as 
 Valisneria and Anacharis, but become troublesome 
 when you require to fish for any of the creatures 
 they contain. Glass jars can be had of all sizes, 
 and the best form is undoubtedly one in which the 
 top and bottom are of equal size, and the depth 
 equal to the breadth ; they can be had, however, of 
 various shapes, and some persons prefer the form 
 of the vase. All such vessels are, however, expen- 
 sive compared with the hand-glasses, or propa- 
 gating-glasses, which are made in large quantities 
 for the use of the gardener ; they have a slight 
 green tinge, but not enough to interfere with a 
 clear view of the objects contained in them ', they 
 are made of all sizes, and have a knob at the 
 top for the convenience of moving them. In order 
 to use these for the Aquavivarium, they must be 
 inverted, and various devices may be had recourse 
 to for the purpose of sustaining them. For tempo- 
 rary purposes, they may be inverted over a flower- 
 pot, or a pickle-jar, or a saucer containing sand ; 
 more elegant stands are turned from wood (Fig. 3, 
 Plate IV.). These may then be placed on a pillar 
 of marble, stone, or scagliola-work ; or these glasses 
 may be arranged in wire stands, and surrounded 
 with plants (Plate II.). One of these vessels is seen 
 under a rough stone arch, and inclosed in a Ward's 
 case, against a window, as represented in the Fron- 
 tispiece. Many other arrangements may be made 
 with them, according to the taste of the cultivator. 
 
HOW TO FORil. 15 
 
 Where a fall of -svater can be procured, as from a 
 cistern at the top of the house, a pipe may be 
 introduced at the bottom, and a fountain formed. 
 Secured in a glass case from the evil effects of smoke 
 and dryness, a most charming vegetation with 
 a variety of aquatic plants and animals may be 
 secured in the midst of the poisonous atmosphere 
 of our cities and manufacturing towns. 
 
 It must be confessed, however, that these glass 
 vessels have their defects. The rays of light, in 
 passing through their rounded sides, distort the 
 objects contained in them, and often give the 
 observer very indistinct notions of their form and 
 size. They are liable, also, to break, not only with 
 a slight blow, but even with a noise at a distance : 
 this is a very unhappy occurrence ; no one can con- 
 template without sorrow the treasures of weeks 
 and months of anxiety all scattered in an instant, 
 and perhaps the drawing-room table, with its books 
 and ornaments, saturated with water. Such acci- 
 dents lead us to think of tanks. The vessels to 
 which this term has been applied are made of sheet 
 glass ; they can be made of any size, and are not 
 only less liable to break, but the objects are seen 
 better through them. The jars admit too much 
 light for some things, but in the tank one or more 
 sides may be made of opac^ue materials, as slate. 
 It is hardly necessary, perhaps, to describe how 
 these tanks can be made ; they are now articles of 
 extensive manufacture, and a selection is kept for 
 choice in almost every establishment where glass is 
 sold. 
 
 It will be found in most cases, in London, neces- 
 sary to have covers both for the jars and tanks ; 
 their principal object is to keep out the soot^ 
 which is a fertile source of inconvenience in all 
 our large towns, and leads to the very injurious 
 
16 THE AQUA VIVARIUM. 
 
 practice of keeping the windows of our dwellings 
 closed winter and summer. Fortunately, no evil 
 arises from sealing up our Aquavivarium, and we 
 may cover it in with what material we please. 
 Mr. Warington originally strained a piece of muslin 
 over his jar to keep out the " blacks : " we have 
 always used a piece of glass. The glass has this 
 advantage, that whilst it stops the access of the 
 blacks, it prevents evaporation, and allows also the 
 top of the Aquavivarium to be used for placing 
 objects which serve for ornament and adornment. 
 Covers made of opaque objects are not desirable, as 
 they prevent the access of light, and thus interfere 
 with the growth of the plants and obscure the 
 view of the objects. Arrangements are often made 
 for allowing the access of air between the cover and 
 the vessel, but this does not appear to be necessary, 
 although there can be little doubt that injury would 
 occur were the vessels hermetically sealed. 
 
 The form of the tank will be found very conve- 
 nient for making other arrangements. We have 
 seen how an Aquavivarium may be introduced 
 into a Ward's case ; and by enlarging a tank, and 
 covering it over close, we may convert an Aqua- 
 vivarium into a Ward's case. If rocks are intro- 
 duced into the middle, our Aquavivarium may 
 be converted into a miniature lake with an island 
 in it. On the rock may be grown ferns of various 
 kinds, or other plants which love the rocks that 
 are dashed by the spray of water. Such an Aqua- 
 vivarium should be made of large size ; and where 
 a running stream can be introduced through it, 
 such large fish as pike, trout, and tench may be 
 kept. 
 
 It will be observed from the last remark, that 
 there are limits within which plants and animals 
 will grow and live in our tanks ; the weight of 
 
HOW TO FOEil. 17 
 
 aniaial and vegetable life to the weight of water 
 has not yet been determined, but a small gold fish 
 and two small plants have been recommended for 
 a gallon of water. If we suppose the fish to weigh 
 half an ounce, and the plants the same, this would 
 give us about one proportion of organic matter to 
 one hundred and sixty of water. This may seem 
 a small proportion ; but certainly the greatest part 
 of the evil that I have seen occur to the Aqua- 
 vivarium has resulted from the overcrowding of 
 the plants and animals ; they die as people die in 
 a city, not from treading on each other's heels, but 
 that they consume the air faster than it can be 
 manufactured and conveyed to them. It is on this 
 account that all attempts at keeping large fish fail. 
 According to our calculations, a pike weighing a 
 pound would require a tank containing thirty-two 
 gallons of water, and a forest of weeds to decar- 
 bonize and oxygenate the water. This, then, is the 
 reason why, when large fishes are kept in a small 
 quantity of water, it is necessary that it should be 
 constantly renewed. 
 
 The vessel having been determined on, whether 
 it be a hand-basin or a tank of the largest size, the 
 next thing to be done is to put some soil at the 
 bottom. This is better done before you add the 
 water ; and therefore a few words about the soil. 
 It should be recollected, to begin with, that to 
 water-plants soil is not a matter of so much im-, 
 portance as to land-plants : with land-plants soil 
 is everything ; but what soil is to land-plants water 
 is to water-plants. Soil is not, however, a matter 
 of utter indifference ; although many water-plants 
 have no roots by which to anchor to the earth, 
 a large number of them have certain peculia- 
 rities of structure which fit thera for growing 
 better on one kind of bottom than another ; thus 
 
18 THE AQUAVIVARIUJI. 
 
 the Grass-wrack (Zoster a marina) will not grow 
 unless there is mud at the bottom of the vessel. 
 The beautiful Aponogeton, from the Cape, will not 
 grow in a shallow soil. Many of our common ditch 
 plants, whose leaves and flowers float upon or grow 
 above the water, as the Water Plantain {Alisina 
 Plantago), the Water Violet (Hottonia 2^cilustris), 
 the white and yellow Water Lilies {Nymijhctia alba 
 and Nuj^har lutewni), with many others, require a 
 considerable depth of soil in order to retain them 
 in their positions ; in fact, when plants have a large 
 surface of leaves and flowers, and live in running 
 streams, it is necessary that they should have rope- 
 like roots and deep mooring-grounds. It is yet a 
 question, whether such plants take up much nou- 
 rishment by their roots, and what it is ; at any 
 rate it is a well-known fact, that many water- 
 plants will continue to grow and increase without 
 their roots being immersed in the soil at all : such 
 plants are the New Water-weed (Anacharis Alsi- 
 nadrum), the Yalisneria ( Valisneria spiralis), the 
 Water Crowfoot {Ranunculus aquafilis), the Star- 
 worts (Gallitriche), the species of Chara, and many 
 others. Many of the Confervse, the species of Duck- 
 weed (Lemna), the Water Chestnut {Tra]?a natans), 
 Pontederia crassipes, and others, although they 
 have roots, are seldom or never found with them in 
 the soil. 
 
 Under these circumstances, it will be found that 
 the nature of the soil is not a matter of much 
 importance to the plant, and therefore the conve- 
 nience and beauty of the Aquavivarium may be 
 consulted. For cleanliness, and all the jDurposes of 
 the plants mostly cultivated, a soil compo.sed of 
 well-washed river sand will be found to answer 
 best : this may be put at the bottom of the jar, 
 mixed with a few small pebbles, to the depth of 
 
HOAV TO FOEiT. 19 
 
 one, two, three, or more inches, according to its 
 size. The plants which are to be cultivated may 
 then be placed in it, with a jDebble or shell here 
 and there to keep them down, as in adding the 
 water they may be washed away. After this is 
 done, the surface may be then covered, according 
 to taste, with pebbles, shells, and pieces of rock. 
 Some regard, however, should be paid to the natu- 
 ralness of the scene ; large marine shells and lumps 
 of coral are unnatural inhabitants of miniature 
 fresh-water lakes, — they are quite natural in the 
 marine Aquavivarium, but here care should be 
 taken not to overload the bottom of the tank or 
 jar: large masses of such objects are unnatural and 
 inelegant at the best ; arches, and other artificial 
 arrangements, are also to be objected to on the 
 same ground, — they occupy space, and what is 
 wanted to be shown are the plants and animals, 
 and not a miniature city overwhelmed with water, 
 and inhabited by fish and snails. 
 
 The objection to all forms of mud and clay, 
 where they can be dispensed with, is the thickening 
 of the water whenever they are disturbed ; this 
 disturbance is sometimes necessary in the removal 
 or addition of plants, but it more frequently arises 
 from the fish, vv'hich are in the habit of taking up 
 the loose soil and ejecting it again from their 
 mouths. When sand is employed, it speedily falls 
 to the bottom ; but where chalk or clay is present, 
 it is a long time before it is deposited. 
 
 The next thing to be added to our Aquavivarium 
 is water. A little water may be added to the sand 
 before the plants that require it are set : when this 
 is done, the rest of the water may be poured into 
 the vessel. But this requires caution ; if the water 
 is emptied from a spouted mug or can, the chances 
 are, it will wash up the soil and all the plants 
 
 c 2 
 
20 THE AQUAVIVAKIUM. 
 
 arranged in it ; care should be taken to introduce 
 it at the side through a funnel, or what is better, 
 use a water-pot with the rose on. The water is thus 
 gently added, and, what is of advantage, it gets 
 aerated in passing through the atmosphere ; and 
 shoidd you be going to add your animals directly, 
 it will be of service to them. But you should wait 
 a few days before the animals are put in, as by this 
 means the water gets charged with oxygen from 
 the plants. 
 
 Now comes the kind of water. Almost any 
 w^ater may be employed for this purpose which is 
 used for drinking. Perhaps of all kinds of water 
 the Thames, as supplied to the houses of London, is 
 the best, as, from containing a dash of sewage 
 without enough to destroy the animals, it affords 
 manure to the plants. Rain-water answers very 
 well, and there is no objection to spring or pump 
 waters, as long as their saline constituents do not 
 make them mineral water. Chalybeate springs are 
 very injurious to vegetation. 
 
 In addition to the carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and 
 nitrogen, which plants obtain from carbonic acid, 
 ammonia, and water, they require certain saline 
 constituents. These they get from the water ; so 
 that, provided they are not in so large quantities as 
 to destroy life, water is the better for containing 
 some of them. It is perhaps questionable if either 
 plants or animals would live and grow in perfectly 
 pure water ; some plants flourish in proportion to 
 the quantities of these saline matters the water 
 contains ; thus the Charas grow best where there 
 are considerable quantities of carbonate of lime ; 
 the Grass-wrack {Zostera onarina) and a host of 
 other plants grow only in salt-water. Some Con- 
 ferv?e grow where the water gives out sulphuretted 
 hydrogen.' These, however, are exceptions, and 
 
HOW TO FORM. 21 
 
 most of the plants recommended for the Aqiia- 
 vivariiim will live in ordinarj water. 
 
 The water, when the Aquavivariiim is well 
 managed, will generally remain clear and bright, 
 and all that will be requii-ed will be the addition 
 of fresh water as evaporation diminishes the ori- 
 ginal stock. Accidents, however, continually hap- 
 pen ; the possessor of an Aquavivarium failing to 
 discover the first portentous signs of a comino- 
 epidemic amongst his plants and animals, will 
 find them suddenly overwhelmed ; the water will 
 become turbid, and smell ; myiiads of animalcules 
 and locomotive plants will be developed ; and the 
 death of all or most of the higher organisms result. 
 Patience will even restore this state of things, for 
 the water is there, and the water itself never 
 decomposes ; it may become ice, or vapour, but it 
 never changes its elementaiy constitution. It is 
 best, however, under these circumstances, to change 
 your water, save what you can from the wreck, 
 clean off the Confervas from the side of your tank 
 and jar with some sand or pumicestone, and be»in 
 afresh. 
 
 This kind of visitation may be prevented in the 
 same way that cholera and fever are prevented in 
 our towns. In the first place look to your refuse ; 
 if your scavengers are not doing their duty, dis- 
 charge them and get better. Remove the dead, — 
 always have recourse to extramural interment ; 
 this applies to dead leaves as well as dead bodies, 
 — these should be all removed. If you feed vour 
 animals, take care that the superabundance is' not 
 left to rot, as it is sometimes in our markets, to the 
 injury of those who do not want it or cannot get it. 
 If you recollect that decomposing animal and vege- 
 table matter is a source of unmitigated evil every- 
 where, you will keep a sharp eye on your Aqua- 
 
22 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 vivarium, and act upon the hint in the house and 
 town in which you live. 
 
 In order to manage the Aquavivarium com- 
 fortably, a few simple instruments should be kept 
 at hand. A little hand-net, which you may pur- 
 chase for sixpence, or make yourself for a penny, 
 will be very convenient ; it need not be bigger 
 than a tablespoon, and may be made of brass or 
 iron wire covered with muslin j it is convenient 
 for catching the various creatures, and removing 
 them from one vessel to another : it is also of use 
 in removing dead bodies. Some things, however, 
 cannot be caught in this way, and a pair of long 
 wooden forceps will be found of great service. For 
 removing small creatures a glass tube will be found 
 convenient. Tubes of various sizes may be kept. 
 The way to use these tubes is to take them up 
 with the thumb and second finger, placing the 
 forefinger on the top of the tube. On placing the 
 tube thus in the water, it will be filled with air j but 
 on removing the forefinger, the water rushes in to 
 supply the place of the air, and will carry whatever 
 small object may be near with the water into the 
 tube. Tubes of various sizes will be found useful 
 for different purposes. 
 
 A glass siphon, or a tube of gutta percha or India- 
 rubber, will be found very often convenient. Do 
 your best, and you will still occasionally find a dead 
 animal has escaped you, and the water becomes 
 opalescent, abounds in animalcules, gives off smelling 
 gases, and must be drawn off from your tank j this 
 you can do with a siphon. 
 
 Another instrument which will be of use is a 
 pair of bellows. Persons are scarcely ever satisfied 
 with the small quantity of animal and vegetable 
 life that serve for a balance ; they overload their 
 Aquavivaria with animal life. Under these cir- 
 
PLANTS FOR. 23 
 
 cumstances it is essential that fresh oxygen should 
 be supplied, either by fresh water or by passing it 
 through the water. This last may be done b}'- 
 means of a pair of bellows with an India-rubber 
 tube attached to the nozzle. An occasional blow 
 through the bellows will act as pleasantly on the 
 animals as a walk in the parks on the infant popu- 
 lation of London, or a visit to the sea-side. In 
 the Dublin Zoolosrical Gardens, an arrangement has 
 been made by which the whole of the Aquavivaria 
 in that establishment are connected by a tube with a 
 single pair of bellows. From this long tube, branches 
 pass off, and open into each tank ; and one puff of 
 the bellows supplies air to the whole of the tanks. 
 The passing of the air into the tanks has a very 
 pretty effect, and visitors are so fond of blowing 
 the bellows, that Dr. Ball, who described this 
 arrangement at the last meeting of the British 
 Association at Cheltenham, stated that the autho- 
 rities of the Gardens had found it entirely unne- 
 cessary to employ any of the men in the Gardens 
 to pump in the air. 
 
 CHAPTEE IV. 
 PLANTS FOK THE AQUAVIVAEIUM. 
 
 The plants to be employed for the Aqua- 
 vivarium must be all aquatic plants, or those which 
 live with the greater part of their stems and leaves 
 in the water. Others may be employed to orna- 
 ment any rock-work out of the water, or to 
 ornament the sides of the A quavivarium ; but 
 these, it should be recollected, do not supply 
 oxygen to the water, or take away its carbonic 
 acid. 
 
24 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 Many of the great families of plants have repre- 
 sentatives that live in the water ; so that it must 
 not be supposed that water-plants belong to a 
 common family. The fact is, they vary as greatly 
 in their structure and habits as do the jDlants that 
 live on the land. 
 
 Botanists divide plants into two great classes, — 
 .Flowering plants and Flowerless plants. The 
 flowering plants are again divided into Dicotyle- 
 dons and Monocotyledons, and each of these great 
 divisions comprehends many forms of plants. We 
 shall follow this division in speaking of the plants 
 for the Aquavivarium ; so that persons may get a 
 little knowledge of Botany whilst attending to their 
 Aquavivarium. In fact, mere amusement is but 
 a poor end to propose to ourselves in any human 
 occupation ; and if people would but exercise their 
 minds a little, they would find that there are really 
 few human occupations that will not afford in- 
 struction. 
 
 We shall speak first of the Dicotyledonous, then 
 of the Monocotyledonous Flowering plants, and 
 afterwards of the Flowerless plants. 
 
 I.— DICOTYLEDONOUS FLOWERING 
 PLANTS. 
 
 Water Crowfoot [Ranunculus aquatilis), Plate 
 IV., Fig. L This plant belongs to the Crowfoot 
 family {Eanwicidqcece), the same to which But- 
 tercups, Anemones, the Clematises, Monkshood, 
 and Larkspurs, belong. The Water Crowfoot is 
 an interesting plant, and very common in our 
 ponds and ditches, putting forth a beautiful 
 crop of white blossoms in April and May. It 
 has two sorts of leaves : one set are submerged, 
 
PLANTS FOR. 25 
 
 and present thread-like divisions, spreading in 
 all directions ; another set float on the water, 
 and have three lobes. In this instance we have 
 an arrangement to meet the requirements of the 
 plants : those leaves which are exposed to the 
 air have the ordinary structure of aerial leaves, 
 whilst the others are divided according to the 
 general plan of the leaves of aquatic plants. 
 There are several other species of aquatic Crow- 
 foots, but none of them are so common as the 
 above. Other species of Crowfoots, as Ranun- 
 cutus Lingua and Ranunculus Flammula, grow 
 in ditches and lakes, and might doubtless be 
 cultivated successfully in shallow tanks. 
 
 Water Lilies {JS^'ymphceacece). — Two Water-lilies, 
 the white {Nymj)hma alba) and the yellow 
 {Nuphar luteum) grow in Great Britain. Either 
 of these are handsome ornaments in an Aqua- 
 vivarium, but they require a large vessel and a 
 good deal of soil in order to attain perfection. 
 Their leaves are very large, and die down in the 
 winter, and thus produce much refuse. Where 
 tanks of large size can be commanded, not only 
 may these beautiful plants be grown, but their 
 foreign allies, as the species of Euryale, and even 
 that queen of the waters, Victoria regia, may be 
 attempted where there is heat sufficient. 
 
 The CoiiMON Water Cress {Nasturtium officinale) 
 belongs to a family of plants, the Cross-bearers 
 {CrucifercE), many of whose members grow in the 
 water. No one would think of growing water- 
 cresses for breakfast in a drawing-room, although 
 this might most certainly be done; but the water- 
 cress may be cultivated for its use in the Aqua- 
 vivarium. A few seeds buried in the soil at the 
 beginning of the year soon spring up, and give a 
 very pretty green appearance to the bottom of 
 
26 THE AQUAVIVARTUM. 
 
 the Aquavivarmm ; as they grow up, however, 
 they need to be weeded out, and at last, as they 
 are annual, they will need removing. 
 
 The Awl-wort {Suhularia aquatica), a little plant 
 with awl-shaped leaves and flowers which open 
 under water, has been recommended as a very 
 pretty addition to the Aquavivarian Flora. 
 
 There is a little order of plants, called by Dr. 
 Liudley Hippurids (Ilaloi^agacece), all the 
 British species of which grow in water. The 
 most common of these is 
 
 The Spiked Water Milfoil (^Myriophyllum spica- 
 tuiii), Fig. 2. It has flowers, with stamens and 
 pistils, which are arranged in whorls. The stem 
 is slender ; the leaves are also arranged in a 
 whorl around the stem, and are four in number 
 in each whorl. There are several other species, 
 but this is the most common. 
 
 Marestail {Hippuris vulgaris) is another species 
 of plants belonging to this order. It is easily 
 known by its upright jointed stem, and the leaves 
 being in whorls of about eight round the stem. 
 It flourishes best in deep streams, and requires a 
 good deal of soil in order to prosper. 
 
 ViLLARSiA is the name given to a beautiful water- 
 plant, in compliment to Madame Villars, author 
 of the " Flora of Dauphine." This plant, of which 
 there is only one species in Great Britain, belongs 
 to the Gentian family (Gentianacece). This species 
 is so like the Water Lily that it is sometimes called 
 the little Water Lily ; and its Latin name ( Vil~ 
 larsia nymphceoides) gives us the expression of 
 White Water-Lily-like Villarsia (Fig. 3). The 
 leaves are roundish, floating on the water j the 
 flowers are large, and seated on single stalks, 
 and are of a beautiful yellow colour. It is 
 found in the Thames, and in some ponds in 
 
PLANTS FOR. 27 
 
 tlie neighbourhood of London. It is a beautiful 
 plant, and worthy the attention of those who 
 cultivate water-plants. 
 
 BucKBEAX {Menyanthes trifoUata) is another plant 
 belonging to the Gentian family that may be cul- 
 tivated in the Aquavivarium. Whilst it is a 
 useful medicine, on account of its bitter qualities, 
 it has beautiful flowers, covered with soft hairs 
 and large three-lobed leaves. It grows in marshes 
 and by the side of streams rather than in them. 
 
 The Water Yiolet {Hottonia palustris), Fig. 13, 
 belongs to the Primrose family (Primulacece). It 
 has purple and yellow whorled flowers, which 
 open above the water, whilst the comb-shaped 
 leaves, attached to a straight stem, are always 
 below the water. It has a long root, and will not 
 gTow well without a considerable depth of soil. 
 
 Water Speedwell ( Veronica Anagallis) -dud Brook- 
 lime ( Veronica Beccahunga^, Fig. 4, belong to the 
 Fig wort family (So'ojyhulariacece), and live in 
 water. They are both characterized by having 
 blue flowers. The Water Speedwell has pale blue 
 flowers and an erect stem ; the Brooklime has 
 a procumbent stem, and bright blue flowers. 
 These plants, when in flower, make a pretty 
 addition to the Aquavivarium. 
 
 Most of the plants we have mentioned need to 
 be rooted to the soil in order to grow well ; we 
 have now to speak of one which, although it has 
 dehcate roots, thrives very well wliilst floating in 
 the water. This is 
 
 The Water Starwort (Callitriche verna), and is 
 the only genus of the family of Water Starworts 
 {Callitrichacece^ in Great Britain. This pretty 
 plant, which will be found very useful in the 
 Aqua-vT.varium, is very common in stagnant and 
 slowly-running water, all over the country. It 
 
28 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 is easily known by its upper leaves floating on tlie 
 water, and two or three pairs of them forming 
 a little green star — hence its name. This plant 
 forms a pretty object under the microscope, for 
 its leaves and stem are covered with very minute 
 rosette-shaped bodies, which seem to supply the 
 place of hairs in other plants. There are other 
 species of Water Starwort in England, but they 
 are much more rare. 
 The Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersuwi), Fig. 5, 
 is a floating plant, that \v\\\ live very well in the 
 Aquavivarium, and be found useful in oxygen- 
 atinof the water. It is not uncommon in slow 
 streams and ditches. Its flowers are incon- 
 spicuous, but it has long, slender, filamentous 
 leaves, which are arranged in whorls around the 
 stem, and are forked two or three times. The 
 whole stem looks very feathery and graceful. 
 
 XL— MONOCOTYLEDONOUS FLOWERING 
 PLANTS. 
 
 Valisneria spiralis demands our first notice 
 amongst the Monocotyledonous plants (Fig. 6). 
 Its long leaves with straight veins afford a good 
 examjDle of the nature of the leaves in this class 
 of plants. In Dicotyledonous plants, the veins 
 interlace with each other, forming a net-work, 
 Valisneria is named after Antonio Valisneri, an 
 Italian physician, who flourished in the begin- 
 ning of the last century, and wrote many works 
 on insects and plants. Of all the plants we 
 have mentioned, Valisneria is best adapted for 
 growing in the Aquavivarium. It has peren- 
 nial roots, which do not require any great depth 
 of soil, and its long green leaves absorb rapidly 
 the carbonic acid of the water, and in its stead 
 
PLANTS FOR. 
 
 29 
 
 give out the pure vivifying oxygen. Although 
 so commonly cultivated in this country, it is a 
 native of the south of Europe, where it flourishes 
 in quick-running streams. It is what botanists 
 call a dioecious plant, that is, its ^ stamens 
 grow on flowers on one plant, whilst its pistils 
 grow on flowers on another plant. Pistil- 
 liferous plants are mostly seen in this country. 
 The flowers grow on the summit of a long spiral 
 flower-stalk, which is sometimes several feet in 
 length. The object of this long flower-stalk is 
 very curious : the stamen-bearing flowers, when 
 ripe, break ofi", and float to the top of the water, 
 and if the pistils had not very long stalks in the 
 deep rivers in which they grow, the fructifying 
 pollen of the stamen would never come in con- 
 tact with them. No sooner has this process 
 taken place on the surface of the water, than 
 the long spiral stalk contracts, and the newly- 
 formed seeds in the pistil are drawn down into 
 the soil, where they may germinate and produce 
 new plants. The Valisneria was first cultivated 
 generally in a domestic manner, in this country, 
 on account of the cellular tissue of which its 
 leaves are composed, exhibiting under the 
 microscope a circulation of their contents. This 
 movement can only be seen by cutting away 
 from the surface of the leaf a portion of the 
 cellular tissue, so as to render the rest more 
 transparent. The same kind of circulation may 
 now be seen in a great number of plants. 
 Valisneria belongs to an order of plants called by 
 Lindley Hydrocharads {Hydrocharidacece), and 
 to this family some other plants belong, which 
 will be found useful in the Aquavivarium. 
 Anacharis Alsinastrum, the New Water Weed or 
 Water Thyme, is one of these (Fig. 7). This plant 
 
30 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 has a curious history. Up to the year 1842, it 
 had never been noticed in Great Britain ; now it 
 is a common weed in our ponds, ditches, and 
 I'ivers. The first recorded instance of its being 
 found, was by the late Dr. George Johnston, of 
 Berwick-upon-Tweed, in a pond at Dunse Castle, 
 Berwickshire, in July, 1842. In 1848, he again 
 found the same plant in the river Whiteadder, 
 about five miles from the last locality. In the 
 same year it was discovered in the river Lea, 
 near Nottingham, and since then has been found 
 in various new localities. Dr. Johnston sent 
 some of his specimens to Mr. Babington, at 
 Cambridge, which, thriving in the Botanic 
 Gardens, they were turned out into the Cam, 
 and the plant has become most abundant in that 
 river. From Kew Gardens it has escaped into 
 the Thames, and it may be now regarded as one 
 of our most common and troublesome water- 
 weeds. This plant grows abundantly in North 
 America, where it was described by Nuttall 
 under the name of Udora canadeoisis. The 
 genus had, however, been previously described 
 by Bichard under the name of Anacharis. Only 
 the pistilliferous plants have been seen in this 
 country. From this and other circumstances, it 
 has been concluded that this plant must have 
 been introduced into this country probably with 
 timber from America. Be this as it may, it is 
 very useful for our Aquavivarium. It grows 
 vigorously, looks very pretty, and is a capital 
 aerator of the water. Its great fault is, that it 
 grows so very vigorously, that it chokes other 
 plants. It needs, therefore, keeping down. It 
 roots in the soil, but will grow whilst floating. 
 It has drooping stems, which are covered with 
 small oblong-oval leaves, three or four in a 
 
PLANTS FOR. 31 
 
 whorl. The cellular tissue of these leaves, like 
 those of Valisneria, exhibits a circulation. They 
 are also lined with a siliceous deposit, which 
 render them beautiful objects under the micro- 
 scope with polarized light. 
 
 The Frog-bit {Hydrocharis Morsus-Rance), Fig. 8, 
 is also a British plant, belonging to the family of 
 Hydrocharads, and which may be made iise of 
 for the Aquavivarium. It is very commonly 
 found in ditches and ponds all over England. 
 It is a floating plant, -svith horizontal stems, from 
 which it sends down rootlets into the water, and 
 sends up several long-stalked kidney-shaped 
 leaves, which lie upon the surface of the water. 
 It has large white delicate flowers, which blossom 
 in July and August. 
 
 The AVater Soldier {Stratiotes aloides), Fig. 9, is 
 another Hydrocharad. It is not uncommon in 
 lakes and ditches in England. It is abimdant on 
 Wandsworth Common, also in the fens of Xorfolk 
 and Lincolnshire. Whilst growing in the water, 
 it look& very like the top of a pine-apple. It 
 has long sword-shaped leaves, with sharp teeth 
 on their edges, — hence its name of Water Soldier. 
 When young, the leaves are green, and look 
 pretty in the water ; but as they grow old they 
 become darker and decay. It does not appear 
 to grow very rapidly ; and although it forms a 
 curious variety for the Aqua\T.varium, it is not 
 advisable to be entirely dependent on it for 
 appearance or the aeration of the water. 
 
 The Xaiads (Xaiadacce) are a submerged or float- 
 ing family of plants, almost any of the species of 
 which may be cultivated in the Aquavivarium. 
 The great British genus of this family are the 
 Pond-weeds {Potamogeton). Upwards of twenty 
 species of Pond-weeds have been described. They 
 
32 THE AQUA VIVARIUM. 
 
 are all characterized by having flowers without 
 stalks seated on spikes, and the parts of the flowers 
 answering to the number four. Thus they have 
 four anthers, four styles, four parted fruits, and 
 so on. They all grow in the water, some being 
 entirely submerged, whilst others have their 
 leaves floating, and jiroject their spikes of flowers 
 into the air. Any of the sjiecies may be obtained 
 for the Aquavivarium. 
 
 The Opposite- leaved Pond-weed {Potamogeton 
 densus) is a very pretty species ; the leaves are 
 ovate or lanceolate in shape, without stalks, and 
 are crowded together around the stems. It is 
 found in ditches, and is the only species of Pond- 
 weed that does not possess the little scaly bodies 
 at the base of the leaves, which botanists call 
 stipules. 
 
 The Fennel-leaved Pond- Weed {Potamogeton pec- 
 tinatus), Fig. 10, is a pretty grassy-looking plant, 
 and presents an agreeable change in the foliage 
 of the Aquavivarium. It is not a very common 
 plant, but it grows in the neiglibourhood of 
 London. It is said to grow in the Serpentine, 
 and I have procured it from the canal in Regent's 
 Park. Another species is — 
 
 The Grassy Pond-weed [Potamogeton gramineus). 
 It has long linear leaves, and, like the last, forms 
 a good contrast with the broader-leaved species. 
 
 The Curly Pond-weed [Potamogeton crisims) is 
 one of the most frequent species, occurring every- 
 where in ditches and ponds. It is at once dis- 
 tinguished by the waved curly form of its leaves, 
 and may be procured in most running ditches 
 and streams. 
 
 The Duckweeds [Lemnacece) are a family of plants 
 not to be neglected for the Aquavivarium. 
 They are amongst the simplest of flowering 
 
PLANTS FOR. 33 
 
 plants, and are worthy of attention on tliat 
 account. They consist of three or four little 
 green leaves or fronds, from the under-side of 
 which they send down roots into the water in 
 which they float. If watched in the spiin<^ one 
 of the Httle leaf-like bodies will be found to 
 contau: two stamens and another a pistil. These 
 are the only flowers possessed by the little Duck- 
 ^veeds. In the Aquavivarium they will be found 
 very useful, as atfording a screen from the sun- 
 light to the animals below. They also harbour 
 a number of microscopic creatures; and it is 
 amongst the tiny forests which they form on 
 the surface of the water, that the m'icroscopist 
 must hunt for some of his most valued game. 
 There are four species of Duckweed found in 
 our ponds. 
 
 The Three-lobed DucK^^'EED {Lenma trimdca) 
 ^rith pellucid, oblong, lanceolate fronds, and a 
 single root at one end. 
 The Little Duckweed (Leimm minor), vntli com- 
 pressed, opaque, and nearly rounded fronds 
 shghtly convex beneath, and single roots. 
 The Gibbous Duckweed {Leynna gihha) has fronds 
 ol the same shape as the last, but larger, and 
 nearly flat above, but gibbous and siDono-v 
 beneath, with single roots. 
 The maxy-rooted Dh'CKvrE-ED (^Lemna jyolyrhiza?) is 
 Wvn from the three last by the abundance of 
 its roots. Its fronds are not unlike those of the 
 last species, but are more round. It has not 
 been observed to flower in Great Britain. 
 
 There are many other plants belonging to the 
 class of Endogens, which may, with great advan- 
 tage, be introduced into the Aquavivarium ; and 
 probably many Uke YaHsneria, which are stran- 
 gers to Great Britain, may be easily cultivated. 
 
3Jj THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 I have grown the Apmiogetoii distachyum, an 
 aquatic plant from the Cape, which has pretty 
 sweet-scented flowers, and which it keeps pro- 
 ducing all the year round. This plant grows in 
 great perfection in the open air, in the pond at 
 the Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, and is also 
 growing in the fresh-water tanks in the Zoolo- 
 gical Gardens, Hegent's Park, London. The 
 Pistias, Trapas, and Pontederias, are all foreign 
 plants, species of which are to be seen in our 
 hothouses, and some might be tempted to grow 
 in a domestic Aquavivarium. 
 
 III.— ACROGENS, OE FLOWERLESS 
 PLANTS. 
 
 There are two families of this class of plants, 
 which are entirely aquatic, and from which the 
 Aquavivarium may with advantage be supplied. 
 These families are the Charas, or Stoneworts {Cha- 
 racece), and Sea- weeds (Algce). 
 
 The Charace^ are represented in Great Britain 
 by two genera, Nitella and Chara. All the 
 species are easily known in the water by con- 
 sisting of a central branch, which is composed 
 of elongated cellular tubes, and at the junction 
 of each tube with the other it gives off a series of 
 branches, which surround the primary tube in 
 the form of a whorl. In the axils formed by the 
 branches with the primary stem, the parts which 
 represent the stamens and pistils of the flowering 
 plants are seated. These parts are of two kinds, 
 and are called " nucules " and " globules." The 
 nucules are green, and represent the pistil, whilst 
 the globules are of an orange-colour, and repre- 
 sent the stamens. The globules contain cells, in 
 which are contained small moving, worm-like 
 
PLANTS FOR. 35 
 
 bodies, and are interesting objects under the 
 microscope. One of the most remarkable pro- 
 perties of the Charas is the facility with which 
 the movements of the fluids in theu* cells may- 
 be witnessed through the microscope. All that is 
 necessary in order to observe them is to place a 
 portion of the plant on a piece of glass or in an 
 animalcule-cage, and the circulation quickly be- 
 comes apparent. This phenomenon is best seen in 
 the species of Nitella, as they need no preparation 
 of the branch previous to examination. In Char ay 
 it is first necessary to scrape ofl* a layer of cellular 
 matter, which is frequently hard and stony, and 
 which collects on the surface of all their branches. 
 This is the great distinction between the species 
 of Chara and Xitella. In Chara the whole plant 
 is more or less opaque and brittle, and the pri- 
 mary cells are invested with a layer of cells 
 which are arranged in a spiral manner along 
 the primary branches. In Xitella, on the con- 
 trary, the whole plant is more or less pellucid, 
 and the primary cell-membrane is not covered 
 ^^dth any secondary investment. 
 
 The Flexile Nitella (Nitella flexilis) is the most 
 common form of Nitella, and is not unfrequent 
 in pools, ponds, and lakes. It may be known by 
 the branched character of its stems, and its 
 smooth, glossy, pellucid appearance. 
 
 The Common Stonewort {Chara vulgaris), Fig. 11, 
 is the most common species of the family. It is 
 found in ponds, ditches, and slow streams, and 
 may be known by its yellowish-green hue. It has 
 a smooth stem, but it may be easily known from 
 the Nitellas by its opaqueness and brittleness, 
 and the spirally-striated markings upon the stem. 
 The other species of Nitella and Chara are not 
 so common. 
 
 D 2 
 
36 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 Alg^. — The AlgcB are called Seaweeds, because the 
 great mass of them are found in the sea, but 
 there is a little group of them — sometimes called 
 Crow-silks {Goyifervacece) — which are found in 
 fresh water. Some of these are not very orna- 
 mental in the Aquavivarium, — in fact they are 
 its weeds, its pests, and will sorely trouble the 
 amateur. He will not be able to pull them up 
 a plant at a time, as he does the chickweed and 
 groundsel in his garden, and they will frequently 
 tax his ingenuity to get rid of them. They are 
 most of them cellular plants without branches, 
 consisting of minute cells which have been laid 
 end to end for several inches in length. Their 
 beauties do not come fully out as they float 
 through the water, but under the microscope 
 many of them are charming. The Yokethreads 
 {Zygnceniata) present the most elegant markings 
 in their cells, whilst the Quiverworts {Oscilla- 
 toriece) attract attention by their never-ceasing 
 movements. Those who have a microscope will 
 do well to keep a vessel especially for these 
 beautiful Algae, and I promise them a rich 
 harvest of delight in examining their beautiful 
 forms and investigating their functions. 
 
 Here, then, we must terminate our account of 
 Plants for the Aquavivarium, not for the want of 
 matter but the want of space. I only hope that 
 what I have said above may tempt the reader to 
 study the Vegetable Kingdom more in detail than 
 can be done by observing the pets of the Aqua- 
 vivarium. 
 
CHAPTER Y. 
 
 OF THE ANIMALS TO BE KEPT IX THE 
 FEESH AQUA VIVARIUM. 
 
 The water having become clear, and the plants 
 beginning to grow, we must now consider what 
 animals we ought to put into our Aquavivarium. 
 I woidd not recommend persons to be very particu- 
 lar on this point. Some animals are undoubtedly 
 prettier and more curious in their habits than others, 
 but those which can be most easily procured will 
 always be found interesting. I shall therefore 
 refer to the more common forms of British 
 animals, which can be secured for display in the 
 Water-vivary. "With the same object in view as 
 when treating of plants, I shall speak of animals 
 according to theii* natural-history classification. 
 All animals are divided into those with back- 
 bones (Vertebrata) and those without these organs 
 {Invertehrata). 
 
 The animals with backbones contain five classes : 
 — Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Batrachians, and 
 Fishes. "With the first three we shall have nothing 
 to do ; for although it is possible to keep seals, 
 porpoises, and even whales in our menageries, few 
 of my readers will attempt experiments on so grand 
 a scale ; nor will they probably try to domesticate 
 young crocodiles or alligators ; so that we have only 
 Batrachians and Fishes among the Vertebrate ani- 
 mals to speak of. The backbone-less animals are 
 very numerous, and are divided into three great 
 groups, all of which we shall find represented in 
 our A quavivarium. 
 
38 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 I.— VERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 
 
 1. Amphibia. 
 
 The Frog, tlie Toad, and the Newt, belong to 
 the class of animals called Batrachians ; they 
 are also called Amphibia, because they lead a part 
 of their lives breathing in water and another part 
 breathing in air. The frogs and toads, when their 
 aquatic respiration ceases, come out of the water, 
 and live on the land ; but the newts, after this 
 period of their existence is over, still continue 
 to live in the water. Thus, frogs and toads 
 can only be made to inhabit the Aquavivarium 
 during the period that they possess gills, and 
 breathe in water. In this stage of their growth 
 they are called tadpoles, and very interesting 
 fellows will they be found. The tadpoles of newts, 
 frogs, and toads, are very much alike in the early 
 stage of their existence. The spawn of these crea- 
 tures may be obtained from any pond or ditch in 
 the early spring. It consists of a transparent 
 gelatinous mass, in which are imbedded a number 
 of dark spherical masses. These black masses 
 increase in size, and at last burst forth from 
 their parent jelly as little creatures, all head and 
 tail. It is interesting to watch the changes they 
 undergo. First the gills appear, and offer a beauti- 
 ful object under the microscope, as the blood comes 
 through them in the process of aeration ; then the 
 legs make their appearance, and as they grow, the 
 gills become less, and the tail shrivels away ; at 
 last, the young frog or toad is ready to emerge 
 from its nursery in the water ; if kept after this in 
 the Aquavivarium, he dies. Not so with the newts ; 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 
 
 39 
 
 their tails continue (Fig. 1), and although they 
 lose their gills, they come to the- surface of the 
 water to breathe. 
 
 We have two kinds of Newts, or Efts, in Great 
 Britain. The Common Smooth Newt, Eft, or Evet 
 {Lissotriton 2>unctatus), is the most frequent of the 
 two. There is scarcely a pond in Great Britain 
 where they may not be found, and they are every- 
 where regarded by school-boys as legitimate prey. 
 
 Fig. 2. 
 
 Although frequently thought to be poisonous, they 
 are perfectly harmless, and may be handled with 
 impunity. The engravings, Figs. 2 and 3, represent 
 the male and female of this species. In the spring 
 
 Fig. 3. 
 
 of the year the male puts on a brilliant dress and 
 wears a crest upon his back (Fig. 2), which dis- 
 
40 THE AQUAVIVARIOr. 
 
 appears later in the season. These creatures are 
 more intelligent than fishes, and their habits are 
 proportionately more worthy of study; 
 
 The other species is the Common Water ]N"ewt, 
 or Great Water Newt {Triton cristatus). It is 
 larger than the last. The male (Fig. 4) is even 
 
 Fig. 4. 
 
 more splendid during the breeding season than the 
 preceding sj^ecies. They are not so numerous 
 as the last, but they are generally to be found in 
 the same places and under the same circumstances. 
 Although generally found in water, being air- 
 breathing animals, they will live out of water, 
 and may be removed and kejot out of water with- 
 out injury. They take in the air necessary to their 
 life at the surface of the water, and for this pur- 
 pose they come up every few minutes ; and this 
 process may be easily perceived through the glass 
 tanks, and gives considerable variety to the living 
 movements of the various creatures. 
 
 2. Fishes. 
 
 Fishes are known from the Amphibia and Eep- 
 tiles by living entirely in the water, and breathing 
 by means of gills. Fish live in either salt or fresh 
 water, and very few species are capable of enduring 
 an existence in both. Fresh-water fish will be prin- 
 cipally alluded to here. It should, however, be 
 recollected, that for the Aquavivarium the smaller 
 
ANIMALS FOK. 41 
 
 the fishes are, the less trouble will they give. Large 
 fish invariably require extensive arrangements, and 
 entail much labour. The smaller and more com- 
 mon fishes will therefore have our attention. 
 
 The Stickleback {Gasterosteus). — I mention 
 this little fish first because I think he has claims 
 to the rank of the king of fishes. Whether we 
 regard his high organization, his courageous nature, 
 his domestic habits, his varied instincts, his power 
 of living in all waters at all temperatures, he is 
 fairly entitled to take the first place amongst fishes, 
 and rank high in the animal scale. And where is 
 this wonderful fish to be got ? The nearest pool, 
 pond, or ditch that has life in it is sure to have 
 sticklebacks. Take a walk on the nearest road out 
 of any country town, and the chances are that the 
 first boy you meet with a blacking-bottle or a 
 pickle-jar in his hand has got sticklebacks in it. 
 They are the first game of the youthful sportsman all 
 over Great Britain. You need not catch them your- 
 self ; a penny ^vill buy a score of them from any of 
 these urchins. But should you wish to catch them 
 for yourself, — always a great pleasure, and an art to 
 be cultivated, — then a hand-net will take them by 
 dozens ; but this is a cowardly, wholesale way. If 
 you wish for " sport " at the same time, you will 
 angle for them ; not, however, Avith cruel hooks. 
 The stickleback is much too brave and incautious 
 a fellow to need a hook. A little red worm at the 
 end of a piece of twine is all that is necessary to 
 secure him. Once having seized the worm, he never 
 lets go, though you drag him out of one element 
 into another. 
 
 When you have secured your stickleback, you 
 must not inconsiderately place him with other 
 fishes. I have asserted that he is a royal fish, and 
 you will soon discover that he will bear no rivals. 
 
42 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 No sooner is he fairly free in your Aquavivarium, 
 than he commences his reign, not always, I must 
 confess, of the mildest sovereignty. The chances 
 are, if you put him with fish of his own size, 
 you will hnd them all dead in the morning. Sad 
 spectacles ! — disembowelled by the use of our pet's 
 spines upon his neighbours' stomachs — their eyes 
 picked out as delicate morsels for his morning's 
 meal. This, therefore, must be a warning to you ; 
 and if you have but one jar, and wish to keep 
 sticklebacks, you will probably not have an oppor- 
 tunity of keeping any other fish, of his own size at 
 least. 
 
 But he will repay you for his disposition. He 
 has all the ways of other fishes and many more 
 besides. Look into your tank ; see, there is one 
 larger than the rest : he is clothed in a coat of 
 mail like a knight of old, and it is resplendent with 
 purple and gold. See how his eyes glisten, and 
 with every movement present a new colour. He 
 is a male fish, the king of your little shoal. He 
 has important offices to perform. Presently, in 
 the course of a few days, if you watch him, and are 
 fortunate, yoii will see this wonderful little fish 
 engaged in the most useful manner in building 
 a nest. He first seizes hold of one little bit of 
 weed, then of another, and carries them all to some 
 safe corner, till at last his nest is built. Having 
 done this, he gently allures his mate to their new- 
 made home. Here she deposits her eggs, and having 
 done this, resigns the care of them to our hero of 
 the purple and gold, who watches over them with 
 an anxiety that no other male in creation but 
 the male stickleback seems to know. He fans 
 and freshens the water with his fins, and at last, 
 when the young are hatched, watches over their 
 attempts at swimming with the greatest anxiety. 
 
AXIMALS FOR. 43 
 
 Nor is this habit confined to the fresh-water stickle- 
 backs. A lady, writing to me from Aberdeen, and 
 describing her Aquavivarium, says : — " A fifteen- 
 spined stickleback (Gasterosteus spinachia) con- 
 structed a nest on a piece of rock, which was covered 
 with a fine green seaweed, depositing the spawn 
 first, then covering it with loose seaweed, and lacing 
 all together with a long thread, composed, apparently, 
 of some secretion. The fish afterwards, for about 
 the space of three weeks, watched the nest, never 
 leaving it at all, save for the purpose of driving 
 away the other fish when they approached too 
 near. When a stick was introduced into the 
 vicinity of the nest, the fish would fly, open- 
 mouthed, to attack it, and would bite it ^vith great 
 apparent fury. At the exj)iration of the above- 
 named time, the young fry made their appearance 
 by hundreds ; but I am sorry to say they soon dis- 
 appeared, being devoured by the other fish, and 
 caught by the tentacles of the sea-anemones. The 
 mother fish continued her attendance at the nest 
 as long as any of the young fry were left." 
 
 The stickleback is very tenacious of life, and will 
 live out of water for several hours. I was walking 
 a few mornings since on the sea-shore where some 
 fishermen had left the refuse of their nets the night 
 before ; all the animals were dead except a solitary 
 stickleback, who still survived, and on being placed 
 in the sea, scuttled ofi" again as though nothing had 
 happened. The fresh-water species are often taken 
 at sea at the mouths of rivers, and Sir Edward 
 Belcher informs me that he took a specimen whilst 
 dredging at sea during the last Polar voyage. 
 
 There are seven British species of the genus 
 Gasterosteus, all known by the name of Stickle- 
 back. This name has been given them from the 
 sharp spines which, in common with a large section 
 
44 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 of fishes (^Acanthopterygii), they possess on their 
 backs (Fig. 5). They have also other names, as 
 Banstickle, Sharplin, Prickleback, Tittleback, &c. 
 
 Fig. 5. 
 
 The following are the names of the species, which 
 sufficiently characterize their forms : — 
 
 1. The Rough-tailed Stickleback {Gasterosteus 
 trachurus) (Fig. 5). This is the most common form. 
 
 2. The Half-armed Stickleback {G. semiarmatus). 
 
 3. The Smooth-tailed Stickleback (G. leiurus). 
 
 4. The Short-spined Stickleback (G. hrachy- 
 centrus). 
 
 5. The Four-spined Stickleback {G. spmulosus). 
 
 6. The Ten-spined Stickleback (G. jyu^igitius). 
 
 7. The Fifteen-spined Stickleback (G. spinachia). 
 It is rarely, if ever, taken in fresh water. 
 
 There are many other sharp-finned (Acantho- 
 pterygii) fishes found in fresh water, which may 
 be kept in the Aquavivarium. 
 
 The Perch (Perca Jluviatilis), when it is young, 
 will live very well, and is a very handsome fish. 
 
 The Miller's Thumb, River Bullhead, or Tommy 
 LoGGE {Coitus Gobio), inhabits most of our streams, 
 and will live a long time in confinement. It is 
 known by the peculiar flattened form of its head. 
 
 To the soft-finned fishes (Malacopterygii) belong 
 the Roach family (Cyprmiclce). To select from 
 amongst this large family of truly British fishes 
 would appear to be almost invidious. They all 
 live in fresh water. They are all, more or less. 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 45 
 
 capable of enduring the life of the Aquavivariiim. 
 We therefore present first a list of the whole, as 
 given by Mr. Yarrell, in his beautiful work on 
 " British Fishes." 
 
 The Common Carp {Cypinnus carpio). 
 
 The Crucian Carp {C. curassiics). 
 
 The Prussian Carp (C. gihelid). 
 
 The Gold Carp (C. auratus). 
 
 The Barbel (Baj^bus vt'Igaris). 
 
 The Gudgeon {Gohio Jluvmtilis). 
 
 The Tench (Tinea vulgaris). 
 
 The Bream [Ahramis brama). 
 
 The White Bream (-4. blicca). 
 
 The Pomeranian Bream (-4. Buggenhaggii). 
 
 The Ide (Leuciscus idus). 
 
 The Dobule (Z. dobula). 
 
 The Roach [L. rutilus). 
 
 The Dace {L. vulgaris). 
 
 The Greening {L. Lancastrensis). 
 
 The Chub (Z. cejjJialus). 
 
 The Pudd [L. eiyojyhthalmus). 
 
 The Azurine (L. ccendeics). 
 
 The Bleak [L. alburnus). 
 
 The Minnow [L. j^hoxinus). 
 
 The Loach (Cobitis barbatula). 
 
 The Spined Loach {G. tcenia). 
 
 Of these, undoubtedly the handsomest and most 
 easy of domestication is the Gold Carp {Cyjirinus 
 auratus). Although so common in Great Britain 
 at the present day, it is an introduced fish. It 
 appears to be a native of China, where it was 
 petted long before it became a favourite in 
 Europe. Like all domesticated animals, it presents 
 a great variety of colour and form. Its golden 
 colour is often a dark brown, whilst again it 
 becomes so light that it has been called a silver 
 
4.6 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 fisli. They are subject also to great varieties in 
 their fins. Sometimes the dorsal fins are double, 
 and the caudal fins are divided into three parts, so 
 as to give them the appearance of having triple 
 tails. When this latter circumstance occurs, Mr. 
 Yarrell has observed that they are deficient of 
 dorsal fins. In the winter it is well occasionally 
 to feed all fish, as at that season the plants in the 
 Aquavivarium do not grow very fast, and there 
 are few or no animalcules produced. Gold fish 
 may be fed on bread or biscuit. Many of the other 
 fishes will prefer a little piece of raw meat or small 
 worms. The one thing most necessary in feeding 
 fish is to avoid giving them more food than they 
 eat. If too inuch is supplied, the animal or vege- 
 table matter will easily decompose, and set the 
 contents of the whole jar in a state of fermentation. 
 
 Another form of carp, which, although not much 
 known to the angler, has become better known 
 since the introduction of the Aquavivarium, is the 
 Prussian Carp {Cy2yrinus gibelio). This fish is found 
 in jDonds in the neighbourhood of London ; and on 
 account of its peculiar habits, and tenacity of life, 
 is well adapted for the Aquavivarium. Although 
 not so bright a fish as the golden carp, the back has 
 a golden metallic lustre, the eye is golden-yellow, 
 the belly is white, and the fins are of an orange-red 
 colour. It is sometimes called the Crucian Carp, 
 but Mr. Yarrell has confined that name to another 
 species (C. curassius) which has been much less seen 
 in this country. 
 
 The Minnow, Mince, or Pink, Fig. 6 {Leuciscus 
 
 Fm. 6. 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 
 
 47 
 
 phoxhius), is a pretty little sportive fish, which 
 may be easily obtained at the fishing-tackle-sellers', 
 as it is used as a bait for pike. It is very active, and 
 when whisking about in the water with a bright, 
 sun shining on it, forms a most beautiful object. 
 It seldom attains a length of more than three 
 inches. The head and back are of a dusky olive- 
 colour, while the belly is perfectly white, with a 
 shade of pink during the summer season. 
 
 The Loach, Loche, or Beardie {Cohitis bar- 
 hatula), Fig. 7, is a little fish, not uncommon in our 
 
 Fig. 7. 
 
 rivers and brooks, but which, from its habit of 
 lurking under stones, is not often observed. It will 
 live well in the Aquavivarium. It may be known 
 from the other fish we have mentioned by the 
 little barbules around its mouth. Many other fish 
 have this appendage, and they are said all of them 
 to feed at the bottom of the water. The Loach 
 feeds upon the various kinds of worms, aquatic 
 insects, and the smaller Crustacea. These latter 
 sometimes abound in our ponds ; and by fishing with 
 a muslin net may often be obtained in large quan- 
 tities as food for the fish of an Aquavivarium. 
 The Gudgeon [Gobio fluviatilis), Fig. 8, is another 
 
 Fig. 8. 
 
48 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 barbuled little fisli, abundant in the Thames, and a 
 very free biter, so free that he has passed into a 
 proverb ; nevertheless, he lives well in domestica- 
 tion, and not being of large size — never exceeding 
 eight inches in length — is well adapted for our 
 domestic exjDeriments. 
 
 Any of the other species of Cyiwinidoe which have 
 been obtained may be put into the A qua vivarium j 
 all fish should, however, be carefully watched, lest 
 they should die. When sickening, as may easily 
 be seen by their unsteady gait when swimming, or 
 turning occasionally on to their backs, they should be 
 removed and put into fresh water, and by this means 
 they may be made to revive ; but should they die, 
 and decay in the water with other things, great 
 hazard is run of the loss of the whole of the 
 creatures. 
 
 II.— INVERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 
 
 1. Articulata. 
 
 The Spiders {Araneidce) take the highest rank 
 amongst invertebrate animals. The different groups 
 of this large family perform a surprising variety of 
 functions. They are adapted for various modes of 
 life, and one group live in the water. The habits 
 of the aquatic species differ ; some live upon the 
 surface of the water, and have their nests at the 
 edges of the pool or pond on which they live ; 
 another species has the power of diving ; it con- 
 structs its nest at the bottom of the water, and car- 
 ries down, by a peculiar arrangement, a sufficient 
 quantity of air to breathe under the water. This 
 is the common Water Spider {Argyroneta aquatica), 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 49 
 
 Fig. 9. This species is very common, and forms 
 an interesting inhabitant in an Aquavivarium. 
 
 Care must be taken, 
 however, not to place 
 it in the same jar with 
 fishes, or other crea- 
 tures which might 
 make it their prey. 
 The membrane wliich 
 surrounds the body, 
 and contains the air, is 
 trans2:)arent, so that the 
 spider looks in the 
 water as thougfh its 
 
 » 
 
 -p body was composed of 
 
 nothing but a bubble 
 of air. It is very active, and is a most amusing 
 creature. 
 
 The Crustacea, the family to which Crabs, Lob- 
 sters, and Shrimps belong, have not so many 
 representatives in fresh as in salt water ; at the 
 same time, a large number of species are common 
 enough in our fresh waters. The largest of our 
 fresh-water Crustaceans is the Common Paver Cray- 
 fish {Astacus Jluviatilis). It is found in almost all 
 the rivers and larger streams of Great Britain, and 
 is brought to London in considerable quantities as 
 an article of food. I have often bought them at 
 the fishmonger's, but must confess to not having 
 succeeded in keeping them alive. My friend 
 Dr. Ball, of Dublin, however, succeeded in keeping 
 one for some time ; and Professor Bell, in his 
 classical work on the Stalk- eyed Crustacea of Great 
 Britain, has given the following account of his pet 
 from Dr. Ball. " I once had a domesticated cray- 
 fish, which I kept in a glass pan, in water not more 
 than an inch and a half deep ; previous experiments 
 
 E 
 
50 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 having shown that in deeper water, probably for 
 want of sufficient aeration, the animal would not 
 live long. By degrees my prisoner became very 
 bold ; and when I held my fingers at the edge of 
 the vessel, he assailed them with promptness and 
 energy. About a year after I had him, I perceived, 
 as I thought, a second crayfish with him ; on exa- 
 mination, I found it to be his old coat, which he 
 had left in a most perfect state. My friend had 
 now lost his heroism, and fluttered about in the 
 greatest agitation. He was quite soft, and every* 
 time I entered the room during the next two days 
 he exhibited the wildest terror. On the third he 
 appeared to gain confidence, and ventured to use 
 his nippers, though with some timidity, and he was 
 not yet quite so hard as he had been. In about a 
 week, however, he became bolder than ever ; his 
 weapons were sharper, and he appeared stronger, 
 and a nip from him was no joke. He lived in all 
 about two years." 
 
 The Entomostracous Crustacea are most of them 
 fresh-water; they are known from the other Crusta- 
 cea by their sessile eyes, and the absence of branchiae, 
 or any organs to supply their place. Dr. Baird's 
 beautiful book on the British forms of these crea- 
 tures, published by the Ray Society, contain coloured 
 illustrations of every species. They are charming 
 objects under the microscope, as their transparent 
 shells permit the whole of their internal structure 
 to be seen through them. There is one species a 
 great rarity, — the Cancer stagnalis of Linnseus, the 
 Chirocephalus diaphanus of recent writers. It is a 
 beautiful transparent Crustacean, swimming upon 
 its back, and exhibiting very elegant movements in 
 the water. It is found in abundance on Blackheath 
 Common, and in the ponds by the road-side which 
 are dried up for a great part of the year. It 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 
 
 51 
 
 deposits ova, which live in the mud ; and if a little 
 of this is taken and put into water, the Ghiro- 
 cephcdi will hatch in a few days. 
 
 The Water-Flea (Daphnia pidex), and a number 
 of other small forms, belong to this family of 
 Crustacea. 
 
 Fig. 10. 
 
 The Insects constitute the largest family of 
 articulate animals. AVhole tribes of many of the 
 orders into which they are divided live in the 
 water. No Aquavivarium can be considered per- 
 fect without some of the varied forms of aquatic 
 insects. Some are more common and easily caught 
 than others, and to these we will call attention. 
 We shall begin with the Beetles (Coleojytera), as 
 they fornish us in this country with the most con- 
 spicuous forms of aquatic insects. The largest of 
 our insects is the great aquatic beetle called 
 Hyclrophilus piceus. It is the type of the family 
 Hydrophilidce, which although species are found all 
 over the world, none are so large as in our own 
 country. This large beetle (Fig. 10) needs hardly 
 
 E 2 
 
52 
 
 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 any description, as it may be known by its size. 
 The female possesses tbe faculty of spinning a 
 gummy envelope for its eggs, which it attaches to 
 water-plants ; this nest is nearly an inch in breadth, 
 and contains fifty or sixty eggs. The young, when 
 hatched, feed upon small aquatic Crustacea and 
 mollusca. When taking their prey, they bend back 
 their heads so far that they make use of their backs 
 as a table to support their food. The larva, when 
 full grown, creeps out of the water, burrows in an 
 adjacent bank, — where it remains for some days 
 as a pupa, and at last comes forth as a perfect 
 beetle. 
 
 Fig. 11. 
 
 Fig. 12. 
 
 Another family of Water Beetles are the Dyti- 
 cidce. The best-known form of these insects is the 
 Dyticus marginalis. This is much more common 
 than the last beetle, and the male and female 
 may be taken in most of our fresh- water ponds. 
 (Figs. 11 and 12.) Their structure is exceedingly 
 interesting, and those who maintain an Aqua- 
 vivarium for instruction rather than amusement, 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 
 
 03 
 
 will find in the whole structure of these creatures 
 marvellous adaptations to their position in creation. 
 The Dyticus is much more ravenous than the 
 Hydrophilus, and everything eatable will sufier 
 more or less from its attacks. Even the stickleback 
 is no match for it. and tadpoles it devours by dozens 
 in the day. It has no hesitation in attacking the 
 Hvdrophilus, though nearly twice its size. Its 
 larvae are as destructive and tyrannical as itself, 
 and have got the unenviable title of ''\Vater-Devils." 
 I once put two into a bottle together, and carried 
 them for about an hour in my pocket ; on looking 
 at them at the end of that time, I found, in spite 
 of beinsr in the dark 
 and agitated in my 
 pocket, tliat Cain had 
 slain and eaten his 
 brother Abel. They 
 attack almost every- 
 thinof indiscriminate- 
 ly ; the Water-Scor- 
 pions {Xepa) are often 
 their victims (Fig. 13). 
 Most of the water- 
 beetles fly at night, 
 and if the Aqua\'iva- 
 rium is not covered 
 over, they may thus 
 be lost. 
 
 The genus Colym- 
 betes is another member of the family Dyticidoi, 
 and embraces species of water-beetles of a smaller 
 size though not less interesting in their habits 
 (Figs. 14 and 15). 
 
 The little family of Whirlgigs, also Beetles 
 {Gyr'inidce), should not be neglected. They may be 
 easilv known bv their whirlinof movements on the 
 
 r^-=E^ 
 
 k^ 
 
 i^- 
 
 F=rt= 
 
 
 
 t 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 _- ~-_i 
 
 
 _ 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^. 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ <ju 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i_ 
 
 
 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 ; 
 
 j--.rrr- 
 
 M 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 w^^ 
 
 Fig. 13. 
 
54 
 
 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 surface of tlie water, which 
 are one of the earliest har- 
 bingers of sj)ring. 
 
 Another order of Insects, 
 the Hemiptera, may be well 
 represented in the Aqua- 
 vivarium. Of these insects 
 we have two very common 
 well - marked forms, the 
 Water Scorpion {Nepa), 
 
 Fig. 13, and the Water Boatmen {Notonecta\ 
 Figs IG and 17. Their movements form a pleasing 
 variety in contrast with those of other insects. 
 
 Fig. 14. 
 
 Fig. 15. 
 
 Fig. 17. 
 
 Fig. 16. 
 
 The larv83 of many of the 
 Hemiptera and Diptera in- 
 habit fresh water, and may 
 be kept till their last changes 
 are expected. In the spring, 
 the Caddice-worms (Fig. 18), 
 which inhabit little cases of 
 ' most varied structure, may be collected, and their 
 habits watched. They are the larvse of various 
 species of Phryganea, and representatives of the 
 order Trichoptera. 
 
 •Fig. 18. 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 
 
 55 
 
 2. Mollusca. 
 
 The ocean is the great home of the Mollusca, but 
 some of them live on land, as our familiar slugs and 
 snails ; and others live in fresh waters. These may- 
 be collected for the fresh Aqua vivarium. We have 
 before pointed out their office as scavengers, and a 
 few forms will be introduced to the reader. The Mol- 
 lusca are divided into two great families, one gene- 
 rally characterized by having one shell {G aster oijodci)^ 
 the other by having two shells {Conchifera). The 
 first produces the most numerous and more common 
 examples. The Coil-Shells {Pla- 
 noi'his) are the prettiest and most 
 useful of these animals. The 
 Margined Coil-Shell {JPlanorhis 
 marginatus), Fig. 19, is found 
 very commonly in stagnant waters 
 and slow rivers ; and from its 
 habit of eating the Confervse, and 
 avoiding the higher plants, is one 
 of the most useful of the Mollusca 
 in the Aquavivarium. 
 
 The Mud-Shells {Limneus) are a gi'eat contrast 
 in form to the Coil-Shells, and the 
 smaller species, as the Marsh Mud- 
 Shell {Limneus pereger), Fig. 20, may 
 be safely introduced into our fresh- 
 water collections. Care must, how- 
 ever, be taken about the large Lake 
 Mud-Shell {Limneus stagnalis), Fig. 21, 
 which has an appetite proportionate 
 to its size, and prefers above everything 
 a salad of Valisneria. Where the 
 vegetation in a jar or tank is very 
 
 Fig. 19. 
 
 Fig. 20. 
 
56 
 
 THE AQUAVIVARiUM. 
 
 prolific, one or two of these fellows may be put in 
 to eat it down, but tliey should be removed before 
 every leaf is cleared off. Another genus which 
 should be represented is that of the Marsh-Shells 
 {Paludina). Of these the beautiful Crystalline and 
 Common Marsh-Shells {P. vivijMra, Fig. 22, and 
 
 Fig. 22. 
 
 Fig. 21. 
 
 P. achatina) should find their way into every col- 
 lection. 
 
 The Conchifera have fewer rej)resentatives than 
 the Gasteropoda. Almost any of them may be 
 introduced into the Aquavivarium. Several of 
 them are of large size ; the Swan Fresh-water 
 Mussel (Aoiodon Cygneus) is one of the largest, and 
 is a common inhabitant of ponds. The most inter- 
 esting: of our fresh-water shells is the Pearl Mussel 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 
 
 {Alasmodon margaritiferus), Fig. 23. It is in the 
 shells of this mussel that pearls are most frequently 
 
 Fig. 23. 
 
 found : they occur occasionally in all the larger 
 forms of mussels. In the inside of all shells a 
 beautiful lustrous substance is found, called nacre ; 
 if this, from any cause, concretes together, it 
 forms a pearl. Pearls may be formed artificially, 
 by introducing some irritating substance between 
 the mantle and shell. Linnseus, the great natu- 
 ralist, was aware of this, and thought to make his 
 fortune by the discovery. British pearls were 
 known in "the time of the Romans, and it is said 
 the reputation of these pearls was one of the minor 
 inducements that brought Caesar and his soldiers to 
 our shores. They are still procured from the mussel 
 in the river Conway, and although inferior in size 
 and colour to those obtained from the pearl oysters, 
 are introduced into the less-prominent parts of the 
 ornaments which are manufactured from them. 
 
 3. Radiata. 
 
 To this class of animals the various forms of 
 Infusorial Animalcules {Infusoria) belong. 
 Under all cii^cumstances they will generally be 
 
58 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 found abundant in the Aquavivarium, and will 
 afford constant opportunity for the use of the 
 microscope. With regard to the other forms of 
 Radiata, few of them have representatives in fresh 
 water. The few that exist are of great interest ; 
 thus the Fresh- water Hydra represents a very large 
 family, found in great abundance in the sea. These 
 creatures are called zoophytes. A family of these, 
 much higher in organization than the Hydra, exists 
 in our fresh waters, and bv some writers are referred 
 to the Mollusca. These animals are called Polyzoa:'' 
 Although their general structure may be easily 
 recognized by the naked eye, the microscope is 
 required to examine the varied and delicate forms 
 of the polyps of which they are composed. 
 
 Another family of the Radiata found in fresh 
 water are the Sponges. The Fresh- water Sponge 
 {Spongilla Jluviatilis) is not uncommon in the 
 Thames, and the other rivers of England. It would 
 be an elegant addition to the fresh-water vivary, 
 but I have never been able to make it live. 
 
 * A monograph of the British Fresh-water Polyzoa, by 
 Professor Allman, of Edinburgh, is announced for publica- 
 tion by the Ray Society. 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 59 
 
 CHAPTER YL 
 
 OX THE MAPJXE AQUAYIYAEIUM. 
 
 Mr. Gosse's excellent little book on the Salt- 
 water Yivaiy renders it unnecessary that we should 
 treat at any length on this department of our 
 subject. The principles to be acted on are the 
 same ; and those who have carefully read and 
 thought over our remarks up to this point will be 
 already prepared to coustruct a marine Aqua- 
 vivarium. There is no doubt that the marine col- 
 lection is more difficult to mauage, and requires a 
 nicer attention to details ; at the same time, it is 
 unquestionably more interesting. The sea presents 
 a much greater variety of forms of life than the 
 rivers and fresh waters. These creatures illustrate 
 more ftdlv the crreat laws that orovern the forms of 
 animal life, and no due conception can be formed 
 of the beauty, variety, and unity of design in the 
 structure of the animal kingdom unless they are 
 studied ; we recommend, then, most strongly, at- 
 tempts at the maintenance of a marine Ac[ua- 
 vivarium. They may be started and kept going 
 most successfully at the sea-side ; but we would 
 warn all our readers of the difficulty of moving 
 them. Sea plants and creatures may, however, be 
 conveniently carried in wide-mouthed jars, such as 
 pickle-jars ; and sea water may be carried in stone 
 bottles. It is very much less trouble, and almost 
 less expense, to buy both creatures and sea water at 
 
CO THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 some of the numerous dealers who live now in all our 
 large towns. 
 
 In making arrangements for a marine Aquaviva- 
 rium, great care is necessary that the plants grow 
 well before the animals are introduced. Sea-weeds 
 are of three kinds, and are coloured olive, green, 
 and red ; of these the best are the green, the next 
 are the red. They should be introduced into the 
 water growing upon the stones or rocks to which 
 they are naturally attached. In the course of three 
 or four days they will get well established, then 
 the marine creatures may be introduced. And here 
 let me give one caution, — heivare of overstocking ; 
 overstocking is the ruin of nine out of ten of the 
 collections that are made ; it is the child making 
 itself sick with its otherwise wholesome cake ', it is 
 the miser forfeiting all the happiness of life for the 
 sake of gold ; it is the drunkard killing himself 
 with the beneficial juice of the grape. The apo- 
 stolic injunction of being temperate in all things is 
 especially necessary here. According to the size of 
 the tank or jar, first one actinia then another, then 
 a starfish, then a fish, may be admitted to the com- 
 munity ; but the multiplication of them must be 
 carefully watched, or any morning you may wake 
 up to find corruption and desolation have seized 
 your happy home. 
 
 Another rule which I have found of use in marine 
 collections is, not to endeavour to keep creatures 
 whose residence is the deep sea. The creatures 
 that occur between high and low water-mark, or 
 those whose residence is the next zone of depth, 
 are best adapted for the Aquavivarium. In these 
 localities will be found zoophytes, actiniae, star- 
 fishes, mollusca, and even fishes sufficient to give 
 great variety to the sea-water vivary. Mr. Lloyd 
 has published a list of upwards of fifty species 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 
 
 61 
 
 of marine animals that he has successfully kept in 
 Aquavivaria."" 
 
 One of the most important discoveiies in relation 
 
 * We subjoin Mr. Lloyd's 
 
 Sea-weeds. — Green. 
 Ulva latissima. 
 
 ,, lactuca. 
 Entermorpha intestinalis. 
 ,, compressa. 
 
 Cladophora arcta. 
 
 ,, rupestris. 
 
 Bryopsis plumosa. 
 
 Red. 
 Iridasa edulis. 
 Griffithsia setacea. 
 Delesseria sanguinea. 
 
 „ alata. 
 
 Corallina officinalis. 
 Ehodomela subfusca. 
 Gracilaria confervoides. 
 Gelidium corneutn. 
 Chondrus crispus. 
 Phyllophora mbeas. 
 Polyides rotundus. 
 Ceramium rnbrum. 
 
 list:— 
 
 Bunodes alba. 
 
 ,, gemmacea. 
 
 ,, thallia. 
 
 ,, clavata. 
 
 ,, crassicornis. 
 Actinia mesenbryanthe- 
 
 mum. 
 Anthea cereus. 
 Adamsia palliata. 
 Edwardsia sphseroides. 
 
 ,, vestita. 
 
 Corynactis viridis. 
 
 Zoophytes. — Madrepores. 
 Carophyllia Smithii. 
 Balanophyllia regia. 
 
 Sea Aneraones. 
 Sagartia viduata=anguicoma 
 
 ,, troglodytes. 
 
 ,, aurora. 
 
 „ Candida. 
 
 ,, miniata. 
 
 „ • rosea. 
 
 „ nivea. 
 
 „ venusta. 
 
 „ parasitica. 
 
 „ bellis. 
 
 „ dianthus. 
 
 ,, aurantiaca. 
 
 „ pulcherrima. 
 
 Naked and Tcbkd 
 Hydroida. 
 Clava multicornis. 
 Hydractinia ecbinata. 
 Coryne pusilla. 
 Tubularia indivisa. 
 Sertularia polyzonias. 
 
 ,, abietina. 
 
 ,, filicula. 
 
 ,, cupressina. 
 Thuiaria thuia. 
 Antennularia antennina. 
 Campanularia volubilis. 
 Laomedea geniculata. 
 
 Star-Fishes and Sea 
 Urchins. 
 Uraster rubens. 
 Asterina gibbosa. 
 Goniaster equestris. 
 Echinus miliaris. 
 
 ,, sphaera. 
 
 Sea Cucumbers. 
 Pentactes pentacta. 
 Ocnus brunneus. 
 
62 
 
 THE AQUA VIVARIUM. 
 
 to the marine Aquavivarium is, that sea water may 
 be artificially made. I need not trace the history 
 of this discovery ; in it the names of Ward, Gosse, 
 and Lloyd honourably appear. The only difference 
 between sea and fresh water is, that the sea contains 
 
 Tube and other Worms. 
 Sabellaria alveolata. 
 Sabella ventilabrum. 
 
 ,, reniformis. 
 
 ,, tubularia. 
 Serpula contortuplicata. 
 
 ,, triquetra. 
 Terebella conchilega. 
 Pectinaria Belgica. 
 Spirorbis communis. 
 Spio seticornis, 
 Pontobdella muricata. 
 Aphrodita aculeata. 
 Nereis bilineata. 
 
 ,, pelagica, 
 Phyllodoce viridis. 
 
 Crustacea. 
 Idotaea appendiculata. 
 Palaemon serratus. 
 
 ,, Leachii. 
 
 ,, squilla. 
 Crangon vulgaris. 
 Hippolyte Thompsoni. 
 Porcellana platycheles. 
 Pagurus Bernhardus. 
 ,, Prideauxii. 
 Carcinus Msenas. 
 Cancer pagurus. 
 Portunus depurator. 
 Xantho florida. 
 
 Barnacles. 
 Balanus balanoides. 
 Pyrgoma Anglicum. 
 
 Vesicularia spinosa. 
 Serialia leudigera. 
 Lepralia. 
 Membranipora pilosa. 
 
 POLYZOA. 
 
 Bowerbankia imbricata. 
 
 MOLLUSKS. 
 
 Nassa reticulata. 
 Murex erinaceus. 
 Litorina litorea. 
 
 ,, rudis. 
 Natica monilifera. 
 Purpura lapillus. 
 Rissoa. 
 Trochus cinereus. 
 
 ,, ziziphinus. 
 Haliotis tuberculata. 
 Fissurella reticulata. 
 Patella vulgata. 
 Dentalium entalis. 
 Ostrea edulis. 
 Anomia epbippium. 
 Doris, 
 -^girus. 
 Ancula. 
 Tritonia. 
 Eolis. 
 
 Aplysia hybrida. 
 Pecten maximus. 
 
 ,, opercularis. 
 
 ,, varius. 
 Mytilus edulis. • 
 
 Modiola modiolus. 
 
 ,, barbata. 
 Saxicava rugosa. 
 Pholas dactylus. 
 Ascidia Virginia, &c. 
 Cynthia quadrangularis, &c. 
 Botryllus polycyclus, &c. 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 63 
 
 saline matters which have been accurately ascer- 
 tained by the chemist. These saline matters, of 
 which common salt is the princi]xil, may be added 
 to fresh water, and that transformation is effected 
 by which the great Creator of all maintains the 
 eternal distinctions between the plants and animals 
 of the ocean and the fresh waters of the earth. 
 
 The following are the proportions in which the 
 saline constituents of sea water exist in 100 lbs. of 
 water : — 
 
 Oz. Grs. 
 
 Chloride of Sodium 4-31 
 
 Chloride of Masrnesia ----- 6 
 
 Chloride of Calcium ----- 1^0 
 
 Bromide of Magnesia - - - - - 21 
 
 Sulphate of Magnesia ----- 7^ 
 
 Sulphate of Lime ------2f0 
 
 Carbonate of Lime -----021 
 
 I now proceed to refer to a few marine creatures, 
 rather as illustrations of the forms of sea life which 
 may be domesticated in the drawing-room than as 
 an account of the numberless animals which may 
 be kept in the Aqua vivarium. To begin with the 
 Fishes. Those which inhabit the little pools left 
 by the receding tide on the shores of our oceans, 
 as the Father Lasher {Cottus bubalis), and the 
 Water Scorpion (C scorpio), the Blennies {Blennius), 
 and the Conger Eel are all adapted for a marine 
 
 Fishes. 
 Gasterosteus spinachia. 
 Cottus scorpius. 
 
 „ bubalis. 
 
 ,, quadricornis. 
 Gobius niger. 
 
 ,, unipunctatus. 
 
 ,, minutus. 
 
 „ Euthensparji. 
 
 Syngnathus acus. 
 
 „ typhle. 
 
 ,, lumbriciformis. 
 
 Muraenoides guttata. 
 Blennius ocellaris. 
 
 ,, pholis. 
 Labrus maculatus. 
 Crenilabrus coruubicus. 
 
64 
 
 THE AQUAVIVARIUM. 
 
 collection ; whilst of those that swim at a little dis- 
 tance from the shore, the Pipe Fishes (Syngnathus), 
 the Mullets, and the Wrasses, have a singular power 
 of maintaining their existence in the Aquavivarium. 
 The Grey Mullet {Mugil capito) is a beautiful 
 fish of our shores, both on the dish and in the 
 tank, and has succeeded better than any other 
 sea fish in the Regent's Park collection. 
 
 Fig. 24. 
 
 The Wrasses are extremely beautiful fish, and 
 may vie in the splendour and beauty of their 
 colouring with even birds and butterflies. The 
 Ballan Wrasse {Lahrus herghylta), Fig. 25, though 
 
 Fig. 25. 
 
 not perhaps the handsomest species, is one which 
 lives well, and deserves every encouragement. 
 
 The Articulate animals of the sea are very nume- 
 rous. The larger forms of Crustacea can only be 
 introduced sparingly into the Aquavivarium, as 
 they run over and devour other things. Of the 
 Crabs, the Hermit Crab [Pagurus Bernhardus) is 
 
ANIMALS FOK. 
 
 65 
 
 perhaps the most interesting and amusing. He has 
 no hardened shell of his own, and has to seek an 
 empty moUnsk-shell in which to reside (Fig. 26)^ 
 
 Fig. 26. 
 
 He is a troublesome though amusing companion ; he 
 has not the slightest respect for any of your delicate 
 pets, or elegant arrangements, but, like a rude burly 
 fellow with boisterous spirits, upsets everything he 
 comes near, and that with the utmost good-nature. 
 Lobsters, Shrimps, Spider-Crabs, and all the 
 beautiful things named in Mr. Bell's book on the 
 British Stalk-eyed Crustacea, when caught, may be 
 introduced, and their habits watched ; some, as 
 shrimps, prawns, and spider-crabs, will live only 
 for a few days. 
 
 The Anne- 
 lides are a nu- 
 merous family. 
 At the sea-side 
 - their forms 
 may be advan- 
 tageously stu- 
 died by the aid 
 of Mr. Gosse's 
 
 Fig 
 
 Zoology. The one 
 
 which 
 F 
 
 of all 
 
 most 
 
 little 
 
 others 
 
 useful 
 Marine 
 best 
 
 is 
 
6(j 
 
 THE AQUAVIVAKIUM. 
 
 adapted for the Aquavivarium is the Serpula con- 
 tortuplicata (Fig. 27). This creature is a study 
 of itself : look at that curved case attached to a 
 stone or a rock, an old bottle or a shell. How curi- 
 ously formed ; that tuft of orange-coloured hairs 
 is its gills, and the long red funnel is a sort of 
 stopper with which it corks itself up when it 
 retires into its tube. There are many other Anne- 
 lides, such as the Sea Mice {Ai^hrodikt) and the 
 Nereids, which may be kept and watched with 
 interest. 
 
 Four portly volumes in Van Voorst's delightful 
 series of works on British Natural History are 
 devoted by the late Professor Edward Forbes and 
 Mr. Hanley to the subject 
 of the Mollusca of our own 
 islands alone. The majority 
 of these are marine. Every 
 shore abounds with sonae of 
 them, and everywhere the 
 Periwinkle {Litorina litorea), 
 Fig. 28, may be secured as 
 a scavenger for the con- 
 fervas, which grow as vigor- 
 ously in sea as in fresh 
 water. How many of these 
 creatures we cannot even 
 mention the fortunate pos- ' 
 sessors of Forbes and Han- 
 ley's work will see. We 
 give the figure of an Asci- 
 dian Mollusk {Ascidia tnen- 
 tula), Fig. 2 9, because of their 
 presenting quite a different 
 type of organization to the 
 other Mollusca we have men- 
 tioned. Those two holes are ]pj(j 29. 
 
 Fig. 28. 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 
 
 67 
 
 orifices tlirougli which the water passes, one carry- 
 ing to the animal inside the water holding food and 
 oxygen, the other allowing the water to escape. 
 The Ascidians are of various sizes and colours, and 
 most of them adapted for the Aquavivarium. 
 
 I would also draw the attention of the reader to 
 the beautiful Nudibranchiate Mollusca. They have 
 no shells, and are delicate creatures, — the livincr 
 pearls, rubies, and garnets of the ocean. Those who 
 wish to know more about them should consult 
 Alder and Hancock's great work devoted to them. 
 This work was published by the Ray Society at a 
 cost of nearly three thousand pounds, and yet those 
 who know these elegant creatures best will say that 
 this money has not been uselessly spent in their 
 illustration. 
 
 The Star-fishes, including the Sea- eggs and the 
 Sea-cucumbers (EcMnodermcda\ are another family 
 that claim attention. They are not very tenacious 
 of life, but are too interesting to be passed over in 
 our marine collections. The Common Cross-fish, 
 or Five-fingers {JJraater ruhens), is met with on 
 
 Fl-G 
 
 every coast. THeir spines, their suckers, their 
 beautiful cases, are all worthy of study, and they 
 cannot be better studied than with Edward Forbes's 
 
 F 2 
 
68 THE AQUA VIVARIUM. 
 
 " History of British Star-fishes" in hand. Those 
 who will not be charmed with both book and 
 fishes had better give up the pursuit of natural 
 history. 
 
 We present here the picture 
 of a beautiful orange-red little 
 fellow, who has flourished well 
 in Regent's Park, and is called 
 the Gibbous Railet {Asterias 
 gibhosa). Fig. 31. 
 
 We must add one word in 
 favour of Jelly-fishes {Aca- 
 leplKje). These fragile, but 
 beautiful creatures, consist Fig. 31. 
 
 principally of water. They, 
 
 nevertheless, possess a varied and complicated 
 structure. To the student of the microscope they 
 aiford unbounded facilities for study, on account 
 of their transparency. They may be caught by 
 means of a muslin net, which, carried along by a 
 iDoat, or attached to the end of a rod on the banks 
 of a tidal estuary, will secure, on most parts of our 
 coast, great numbers. These, too, should be studied 
 in the work of Edward Forbes, whose pen and 
 pencil illustrated so wide a range of our native 
 natural history. 
 
 The last group of creatures we shall mention 
 before closing are the Sea-anemones — the Actinice. 
 These are the glories of the marine Aquavivarium 
 — the sea-flowers that have been grown in marine 
 caves in the Zoological Gardens, for the special 
 behest of those Londoners who never see them at 
 the sea-side. To write all that might be said about 
 them would be to write a larger book than this. 
 Their beauties have been celebrated by Mr. Gosse, 
 Dr. Badham, and Mrs. S. C Hall, in their writings, 
 and I can only confirm their remarks. If you 
 
ANIMALS FOR. 
 
 69 
 
 want to take them yourself, you must avoid sandy 
 sea-sliores, and spend your holidays amongst the 
 rocks. You will find them at Margate and Rams- 
 gate, the Isle of "Wight, and Weymouth ; in fact, 
 wherever there , 
 
 are rocks co- 
 vered by the sea. 
 My illustrations 
 extend to three.* 
 First, the beauti- 
 ful Anthea cereus, 
 with its long, de- 
 pendent, languid- 
 looking filaments, 
 which are never 
 retracted within 
 its body (Fig. 32). 
 Second, the Cori- 
 aceous Sea -ane- 
 mone (Actinia 
 coriaceci), Fig. 33, 
 the most common 
 form of all the 
 sea-anemones of 
 our coast. It as- 
 sumes a great va- 
 riety of colours, 
 from a bright 
 orange to a dark 
 green, and almost 
 perfectly white. 
 They bear almost 
 
 Fig. 32. 
 
 Fig. 33. 
 
 * For these and some other illustrations, the Author is 
 indebted to Mr. Mitchell, Secretary of the Zoological So- 
 ciety, for permitting his artist to copy from the drawings 
 illustrating the collection in the Aquarium in the gardens in 
 Regent's Park. 
 
70 
 
 THE AQUAVIVAEIUM. 
 
 any kind of treatment, and live for a great length 
 of time. A friend of mine had some very lively 
 ones which had been brought up from the sea-side 
 in a wine-bottle, which had been emptied of its 
 sea-water, and sent to a neighbouring public-house 
 for beer. The mistake was discovered, and the 
 creatures were transferred to their natural ele- 
 ment, where they flourished for many months. 
 There is a large form, called Actinia crassicornis, 
 which is probably a variety of the last. Third, 
 the Actinia Mesemhryanthemum, Fig. 34. Like the 
 last, it is subject to great variety of colour. It 
 is known by the row 
 of beautiful blue tu- 
 bercles around its 
 mouth. It lives be- 
 tween tide-marks, 
 and entirely incloses 
 its tentacles within 
 its body when out of 
 the water. But for 
 further information 
 on this and the many 
 other interesting spe- 
 cies of Actinia, I must refer the reader to John- 
 ston's " History of British Zoophytes," Mr. Gosse's 
 " Aquarium,'\and Dr. Landsborough's " Zoophytes." 
 
 Fig. 34. 
 
 I have now finished my task, and trust this little 
 book will contribute to a taste for the cultivation of 
 natural history pursuits. The Aqua vivarium may 
 be made a source of amusement, instruction, and 
 improvement. Those who commence it for amuse- 
 ment will, I trust, not be satisfied with that end, 
 
ANIMALS FOR, 71 
 
 but make the study of the beautiful objects it con- 
 tains an introduction to the wider field of nature 
 beyond. Such an exercise of the mind, when 
 properly pursued, must lead to thoughts of the 
 Goodness, Wisdom, and Love of Him — 
 
 " That plann'd, and built, and still upholds a world 
 So clothed with beauty for rebellious man." 
 
 To the thoughtful student, it will soon be appa- 
 rent, that the life in the glass tank, in its various 
 forms and manifestations, is dependent on laws by 
 which the whole universe is governed. Approached 
 in this spirit, we shall find that our A qua vivarium 
 may not only supply amusement and instruction, 
 but lead the mind to the Giver of all Life and 
 the contemplation of a universe governed by His 
 Wisdom and His Love. 
 
 -«x>>*<c 
 
 ROBERT BARUWICKE, fRINTER, DUKE STREET, PICCADILLY. 
 
E.Hardmcke ZSDiike S^Rccadilly Oce-"2l.l856. 
 
in. 
 
 RHaxdrnGke 26 Ihike S^PLccadillT Oct^ 21.1856. 
 
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