Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-03-15
MARINE CURIOSITtES.
The Ultramarine HOLSTERS Exhibited In the
Aquarium OF Naples.

| u
| Aquarium OF Naples.
The Corso. the fashionable drive
which extends along the Chiaja, OF
quay of Naples, has on its landward
side beautiful park which is a mile
and half long. 1t has many monu-
ments and statues, kiosk for the band,
! and seats for those who go to hear the
music, enjoy the breezes from the water
and gaze upon Vesuvius. Capri, lschia
and the blue bay.
| The chief attraction of this park is q
white marble building which contains
on the first floor the finest aquarium in
the world The second floor is fitted
with a library and laboratories, where
members of universities and scientists
from every nation may by certain form
alities obtain the right to study the
structure. methods and habitat OF the
curious marine animals here displayed.
These are for the most part found in the
Mediterranean. which is especially rich
in fine specimens. Here you may see a
large octopus with its eight snake-like
arms. from which it receives its name.
1t is fed for the amusement OF visitors,
and seems never unready to fill its NAV.
The electric fish, in their turn, enter
tain you by giving you apowerful shock
when the attendant permits you to
touch them. II privilege, If such it may
be called. which he generally allows.
Here are also sword-iish. which take
their name from "A sharp hony prolong-
alton OF the upper jaw, which is a form
liable weapon in attacking prey
The fish of the Mediterranean are rs
a rule beautiful in color, and the eye is
continually delighted with new and at
tractiye forms. There are several
varieties OF living corals, also sponges,
crabs. crayfsh and infinite numbers OF
that lower order OF marine life which
exists on the mysterious borderland
b tween the plant and animal king
doms. These are wonderful in color.
ing, and fascinating to study. Fixed Ms
to locality. yet ceaselessly moving their
delicate tentacles. they plainly show
that they possess conscious method
in obtaining their food.
Tie object VIII oh delighted me above
all others in the collection because it
was so obviously unique, is a blue lob
ster. Not indefinitely blue as our
variety is indefinitely green. but of a
brilliant metallic blue, glstening with
the luster of blue tin-foil, but tempered
and softened ~ the life within the
she'll As If to increase the wonder,
the fringed scallops of the tail are OF
an intense orange-color, and so are GER
tain marks at the line where the head
meets the body. There it rests on the
pebbly bottom of the tank so quiet that
one fancies there may be such II thing
as mock lobster as well as a mock
turtle, when suddenly and suggestively
it moves one of its antenna, as if to say,
just put your finger in my claw if you
wish to find out beyond peradventure
that am alive"
YES, here is an ultramarine blue lob
ster in orange Trimmings A Lord
High Admiral of the seas in blue uni
form and gold lacei The pleasure OF
owning such rare lobster would be
greatly diminished by consuming de-
sire to know what color it would be
when cooked. | should, if it were
mine, dump it into a kettle of boiling
water ! wonder would salad made
fl, m it be also blue? Imagine bright
ly, deeply blue lobster salad rerosing
in bed of bright green lettuce!
The rareness of the specimen would
indicate that the variety is not thus to
be exterminated, but is to be sacred to
scientists. and that my clustaceous
Beauty may repose upon his pr billy bed
blissfully ignorant of that high degree
OF temperature so ainfully familiar TO
his less favored brothers. - Harper's
Young People.