Page:Sea and River-side Rambles in Victoria.djvu/91

72 bottom at an angle of 50 degrees. By this plan not only does the light fall directly from the top, but the water more freely absorbs atmospheric air. This object is also attained by staining a portion of the glass placed next the light of a sea-green,—a plan adopted successfully by many practical keepers of Aquaria in England.

Were we to decide, we should prefer the form suggested by Mr. Shirley Hibberd, in his very concise little Work on the "Aquarium," viz., that of the double cube, the length of the tank being just double its width and depth, so that if cut into two equal parts two cubes would be formed. The glass should be set in grooves in the slate, and bound outside with tastefully turned pillars of wood, or any other substance which can easily be obtained or may suit the whim. White lead putty may be used for cementing, but to prevent the water being in any way poisoned by the lead, a coating of shell-lac dissolved in naptha, and made into a paste with whiting, must be laid over it.

The formers of Aquaria are generally in too great a hurry to set their tanks going, but much trouble and very considerable disappointment, not to say expense, (where the party lives away from the seashore, and may have to depend for supplies of stock on some zealous friends, or those, if there are any such, making it a means of livelihood,) would be saved, by allowing water to remain in the tank for several days at a time, changing it occasionally, so as to sweeten the tank before commencing operations,—and even then go gradually to work. First, then, there should be a bottom of good sea-sand (not too finely disintegrated)