The family aquarium; or, Aqua vivarium ..being a familiar and complete instructor upon the subject of the construction, fitting-up, stocking, and maintenance of the fluvial and marine aquaria .. . habits and appear-ance are very remarkable. Although it lives at the bot-tom of the tank, and is surrounded by water, it is nevertouched by that element ! It is inclosed in a bubble ofair, which surrounds it like a silver box, and on the bedof a stream may easily be mistaken for a globule ofquicksilver. Within that bubble the little creature per-forms all his functions of eating, spinning, and sleepi
The family aquarium; or, Aqua vivarium ..being a familiar and complete instructor upon the subject of the construction, fitting-up, stocking, and maintenance of the fluvial and marine aquaria .. . habits and appear-ance are very remarkable. Although it lives at the bot-tom of the tank, and is surrounded by water, it is nevertouched by that element ! It is inclosed in a bubble ofair, which surrounds it like a silver box, and on the bedof a stream may easily be mistaken for a globule ofquicksilver. Within that bubble the little creature per-forms all his functions of eating, spinning, and sleeping. He lives, in fact, in a crystal palace, built for himself,« as though he were the inhabitant of an enchanted spider must not be placed in a tank containing fishor other animals of the kind that consider him and hisshining raiment a honne louche^ or he will soon becometheir victim. His tank, too, should be covered withgauze. The Oniscus Aquatalis, and also the Hydrous Picens,or Large Water Beetle, may, on the contrary^ be associ- FRESH-WATER REPTILES ATO INSECTS. Y7 ated with the fish, etc., in a tank, for they are bothinoffensive. The hydrous feeds upon the animalcule that. Large Water Beetle—(Hydrous picens). are always abundant in the vicinity of aquatic plants, andmay be taught to become very tame and familiar. The 78 TPIE FAMILY AQUARIUM. Oiliscus has a body composed of seven articulations,l)esides the head and tail. His is round on the back, andflat underneath, while from each side spring seven feet,each growing larger as it approaches his inferior is active and eccentric. To complete the list we mayadd ^ The Whirligig {Gyrinus natator), a pleasant, playfullittle fellow, with a brilliant coat of bright bronze. Ho <Tjniiuig Nat a for
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Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1858
