The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-13
A VAST AQUARIUM.
One of the Famous sights Of the English
Brfghs0n.

AsEASANtOas
Breeklyn Eagle.
The English Brighton has the largest and
finest aquarium IN the world It is situated on
the shore, about the center Of the main parade
below the cliff and the tanks age at high water
level A pretty entrance with patenb swing
gates and double fight of stone steps leads to the
main entrance below. Passing a brown bear
Bobby, which Is as fat as butter and desperately
fond of sugar, we enter the ball-Moorish in
architecture spacious in size and HberallY sup
Piled with all the papers of the day Around
are placed table tanks that contain cuEiositles
all alive. The first few tanks have tube worms
varied in kind-Some resembling specks of red
coral thickly studded on pieces of rock and mo-
tionless; others have the appearances OF inverted
and semitBansparent mushrooms, with a rapid
rotary notion bat all are alike sensible to sound;
Just rap the glass dome that covers the tank
with yoar cane or ring, and instantly every
speck of coral disappears; the mushroom stops
its motion, and, doubling up like an umbrella
disappears, too, and nothing is left but the gray
rock with little gray tubes. If left alone for an
hour or so they are all back again, but this pro-
cess ultimately frightens them to death.
More tanks with small gold and silver fishes
with great heads, look Like thunder and light
ming Fadpoles of the bullfrog that are strugs
Cling to get then legs and lose their tails A
chameleon occupies another, looks like granite;
motfonieSs except It's brilliant eye, which follows
the flies. These eyes are marvellous, brilliant as
diamonds, eau be turned to the back as readily
as the front, and independent of each othen
One eye turns to- the back the other to watch
a blow fly tothe 'front.' Having reached the end of
the hall we made for the main corridor, which
looks dark, light being borrowed from the tanks
"a handsome vault tunnel 300 Feet long, thanked
on both sides by spacious tanks. To the left is
pretty spectacle, the tank being twelve feet
square, full of anemones. They are Of all colors,
red and white predominating; and look like, a
fine bed Of china asters, completely Governing the
floor Of the tank Numerous small fish ttittle-
backsl and shrimp are moving about m the
upper water, and are really food for the anemones
which catch them in their floral hands to, eat
them up. "A piece of timber suspended from a
nail is completely studded with small parti-
colored specimens the size OF button mushrooms
Next a similar tank with monk fish and skate.
staring at visitors through the glass WALL and
not deigning to notice their presence; they have
a strange, weird unearthIy look with them.
A savage lot Of conger cells comes next. like
great serpents, taking their food (herrings'
heads} with greedy snap. wriggling and inter
twining their long bodies together. The largest
tank is about one hundred feet long, and con
taTns regular residents of cod, dogfish and other
large specimens of the great deep; but the grand
attraction here now is a fine porpoise, like a
great fat pig that madly PUSHES from end to
end IN search of a. way Of escape. His m9Jion
isremarkable; he goes up the tank on his stomir
ach, then turns over and returns ON his back at
speed Of ten miles an hour, never ceasln@ He
was caught by the Brighton fishermen and sold
to the aquarium but he won't live a. month il he
worries about at that rate. There is a solemn
old sturgeon that has, been here for years and
takes things easy, swims quietly about and
seems to wonder why the new tenant Kicks up
such row.
At the end Of long corridor is the thaater or
concert room, with sitting accommodations for a
thousand and promenade for as many more.
The band Is splendid one, and performs high
class music twice day. The Saturday after
noon concert is for the elite, and includes
special attractions talent Of high order from
London-and is, always well attended The
company IN the evening is not so select The
| fernery joins the concertroom, and is a thing
of beauty; rockery some thirty feet high sus-
tains it, covered by maiden'S hair and other
FERNS and a tiny waterfall throws a silver
stream from the very top. Still further on un-
der rocky arches is the cave Of crocodiles.
lighted from the top through yellow glass. The
crocediles seem to bask in eternal sunshine.
There are four or five which live in harmony.
They are lazy fellows, but, Just prog them with
an umbrella on the quiet. and they hiss their
spite like serpents. Leaving this lower floor
and the fishes, we ascend the stairs to the gar
den and skating rink, passing an ayiary Of sing.
ing birds on the middle landing.
Perhaps the most interesting of the tanks is
occupied by birds. These northern divers (guil-
motsl are similar in color to canvas back ducks,
| but they have the beak OF a gun. They take
their food under water and propeI themselves
by their wings acting as fms. They glide
swiftly, and, presto, their feathers change and
appear like tinfoil or silver, not trace of brown
visible. We know not how this change is eff
fecteds but we do know the fact. and only the
fact The mermaids (manateel are two in num-
ber but, alas for the female head. flowing hair
and hand glass, there is no resem blance. Their
appearance is more like the seal, with ugly
heads, like calves heads in butcher shops ready
for the cook They don't live long in captivity,
A pair of sea lions, very large ones, occupy a
den up stairs The male is said to weigh half a
ton. There is a fine collection of fresh water
fish, pike perch breme, tench and cells being
represented The first two are very fat speci-
mems. The white elephant shows itself 90.
casional1y in a presentation that requires great
outlay. A Bengal tiger, given by Sir Albert
Sassoon, and golden eagle by Mr.. Ashbury, NJ
reception, and the shareholders can i'll afford it
seeing that the aquarium has not paid a penny
interest for three years. It wants Barnum to
make it pay. The cost up to the present time
has been about 4100 000 or $500, 600
Il 4 L N. <Ns-N