New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-10-18
spA1D1Ne & ROGERS, MUSEUM.

THE AQUARIUM.-.A great and most attractive
curiosity, something new in this city, is now being
erected in the Museum on ST. Charles street. 1t is
an aquarium on large and splendid scale. We
were present on Saturday whilst Mr.. Willis, the
builder, was at work upon it. 1t will be IL or Is
feet high and feet in diameter at the base exclu-
sive of the surrounding tank; the material is the
finest Italian marble and French plate glass and
when complete, with its filling of curosities, will
foot up cost of about S. 900. The aquarium,
without the tank, will weigh near four tuns.
Lest everyone should not have clear idea as to
the meaning of the word aquarium" we will ex-
plain that it means prepared receptacle for such
marine and amphibious animals and plants as can
be harmoniously kept together; generally recep-
tacle with glass sides, and filled with clear water
so to enable the behoder to note the habits and
peculiarities of the living things and the wonderful
processes of marine vegetation.
Like everything else in these late days, the con.
struction of aquara has become science, fine art
The store-houses of nature have been ransacked
for her choicest and most delicate works. Fishes
reptiles insects and plants whose lives and habits
have ever been secret, are dragged from their
conceament, and all the wonders of their orean
cation and growth revealed to the eye through the
crystal waters and walls of the aquarium. And
not only this, but stones, MOSES, shells, sand and
the like, are disposed into tasteful miniature land.
scapes, with hills, valleys, precipices, caves, and
hooks, suited to the convenience of the plants and
to the tastes Of the fnny inhabitants. So perfect
has this art become, that an aquarium of the pres
ent day is the most beautiful and inexhaustible of
curiosities
The knowledge of plants and animals necessary
to the construction of an aquarium is very consid-
erable: that it has necessarily become science
the professors of which, whilst making good lv.
ing by it, are enabled to improve upon it, and give
free scope to one of the most refined and ennobling
instincts of human nature.
Mr.. Willis, the builder of Spalding & Rogers
aquarium, is one of the first of living professors OF
his chosen art. The only other large aquariums
in the country, those in the New York and Boston
Museums, were built and stocked by him, and have
never ceased to be regarded as the most attractive
and instructive of all exhibited curiosities. The
largest and finest in the country, but will be by fal
the best stocked with curiosities; for in addition
to the usual supply of such provided by Mr.. Willis
the energy OF the proprletorS Will make large
drafts upon our Southern waters and marshes
which contain many wonder not to be found in
more Northern latitudes.
Surrounding the aquarium is circular tank
which is to be filled with water and some of the
larger species of fishes and reptiles whilst on its
surface will paddle perfect sef-acting miniature
steamship. A selfpropelling train of steam cars
is another curiosity talked Of but is not certain
that it will be introduced.
The whole curiosity aquarium and ALL will bt
finished and opened to the public in about month
1t will be feature of longstanding popularity il
| the Museum,