New-York daily tribune., 1859-05-24

.uee,, e, I;t..,v A.soei,tion. and is adm ,.5.y
sd,n,ed i,r he purpose By the excellent arrange
rnent of Tie ligl: from the dome ana lne "ihdoNs
on botb .3es of the apartment, So that the transl
cent dwellings Of the marine Strangers are Wen
Illuminated ia the most secret corners.
Tba Ion,r;s are arrar ce upon tables of conye
MON, biobt. extending round the room II an Oval
C,m vi.itors being able n pas On either ,ide OF
.bs ,,hles In the center Of the hall large oc-
,aconal tank. of some eight feet IN diameter, n
which two sturgeon, a tish rarely seen except b!
6,h, rmen. ere peacefully and comfortably gliding
about. These beautiful specimens are no" about
three feet in length. and will doubt's' r"Pd! m
crease IN SIZE.
The tanks in which the specimens axe exhibited
are real crys..l palaces made Of beautiful white
marble, as 10 the bottom and ends, while the sides
are of the clearest and most perfect piNe glass
The interiors are tastefully arranged with rocks,
gravel seaweed and other water plants, adapted IN
all cases 10 the habits and customs OF the n,
habitants Some are filed with sea water, ana
some with fresh, all being aersted pefpetualiy by
bubblipg current of pure air which Is forced
through ppes and ascends in sparkling bubbles
through the rrsyelly bottom to the surface OF the
water This plan of aerating the water under
stand 10 be an Invention Of the prOprleori, and TO
be so successful ss entirely 10 remove al necessity
for any change of the water, except TO supply the
waste caused by evaporation or accident.
Not only are the fishes well ventilated, in the
manner that have described, but care is also given
to preserving proper temperature OF the water SO
that the brook trout on warm day are reocsd and
comforted by generous lump of ice, to bring back
the sun. heated waters to the more genial tempera'
ture Of their native mountain brooks.
The strong light in which the aIuarla are placed
has a queer effect upon the fishes, promoted, too
somew hat by the light-cOlOred pebbles, which Tor
the most part, form the bottoms of the tanks,
- ont in
manner 80 that the familiar tautcg (or black fish,
for example. that of Tinker's Island las. Summer,
was of almost raven darkness, IL here paled 10 a
phastly hue, SO that in his changed color, the we'll
known fish is so thoroughly disguised, that at hrst
glance, be is hardly recognized. The specimen
here was born and bred in an aquarium, and mas
now attained some two years in age, and goodly
size. He comes quietly to the surface when called
BY low whistle or a snap of the fingers, and, lor
all bis pale complexion, seems healthy and well
cOptented His habits are not little curious re-
mindpg one very much of the ways of well-ied
hog in sty, lying as he does, on his side, upon
the bottom, under a waving shade OF seaWeed,
looking about bin langudly with his staring eyes,
and ever and anon, rolling laziy over, and reclining
for time upon the other side, and taking a
different, and at the same time ,ndiffirent view OF
the curious faces that surround him.
The brightly speckled trout, too, in the glare OF
though, like the leopard, they cannot change their
spots, unlike the Ethiopian they very considerably
charge their skins.
Among the smaller fishes none have attracted
greater attention than couple OF male snckle-
backs, who have been engaged in taking care OF the
spawn left pledge of their affectionate union
by their fair partners, who hsye been removed 10
another tank, after having deposited it. The males
have carefully built nests over the precious depos-
its, one at each end of the tank, carrying with la
boring toll little stones and sticks, and fragments OF
weed and have raised little pile above each col
lection of eggs watching all the while, with anX-
ious care, lest any harm should befall. And now,
sir ce the young are Matched, they mount guard
with paternal care over their minute progeny, so
small that as vet it requires an experienced eye to
see them before they have been pointed out II the
fnny infants wander too far from the paternal
roof the parent blows them back with little
stream from his mouth gently to the nest. regret,
on later visit, to that this interesting little
family has entirely disappeared, N consequence Of
the unfortunate whim taken by the paternal head,
who, like Saturn of old has swallowed them head
and tail and swims solitary and alone, fearless OF
the attacks Ofany heirs to his now undsputed throne
They grew with wonderful rapidity after they
were batched, and their loss is much regretted by
the frequerters of the Aquarial Gardens, where,
during their short existence, they attracted much
notice, especially from the great authority of the
with delighted interest. Indeed, the fishes seem
TO be the objects of the greatest interest to most
visitors, partly from their larger size, and IN part
from the novelty of seeing deep fish so closely
as to observe their movements and habits at leisure
and with miI uteness. The various families OF
crabs, and molluscs of divers kinds, have been
made quite fan ar objects to most people in the
shop windows where aquaria are exposed for sale.
AmoDg the objects of this latter class nothing
equals in beauty the Rhodaetinia Darisi, predom.
nant in size ar the splendor of its salmon colored
tentacles which, when fully expanded, render it
one of the most beautiful objects conceivable. As
rich in color and graceful in form as passion
flower, the wonderful element of animal hte is
added, to give it new glory This beautitul crea.
ture is dredged upon Georges Bank, and received
its name from Agassiz in honor of Commander
c. II. Davis, formerly Of the United States
Coast Survey, and recently in command of
the sl0Op st. Marys, in the Pacific. Ane-
mOnes aud medusG OF various size and beau
~ are here in abundance; the latter drawing the
admiring gaze OF all as they pump themselves so
gracefully and wonderfully through the water.
After all there ia nothing in all animated nature so
passing strange as these curious transparent cred
turei, known as jelly-fsh, when cast away in the
recedpg tide upon our beaches, where they dis
solve in the sun into a mere film upon the sand
Very beautiful are they as YOU see them in deep
waters pulsing along, with movements as regular
as those Of an ocean steamer; and still more beau
tiful, as You lean over the side OF your vessel al
night, when they float by in the darkness, spark
ling with pbosphoresceDt light. The fishermen
call them sHnsgEaiis, and their variety is infinite,
as well as their size, which varies from 8 body as
large as a pes. TO foot aid more in diameter.
At ses, You never tire of watching these larger
specimens; and here, in the aquara, the move
ments Of the smaller species msy be Observed with
convenience Is they mount like aquatic balloons or
bubbles through the water. and descend again at
pleasure.