By this time it had grown to be the middle of the afternoon, and Mr.
Rovering, becoming desperate, went up to a benevolent-looking gentleman
and asked him if he knew of a spot where free American citizens might
eat a lunch they had brought with them from home.

"Why, certainly," was the reply; "there is a building especially adapted
to that purpose at the other end of the island."

"But we have just come from there," said Mr. Rovering.

"Ah, then, it isn't my fault you didn't see it;" and the gentleman sat
down at the very next table, and proceeded to order a mutton-chop and
some fried potatoes.

"Dolly, let's go home!" exclaimed Mr. Rovering, in despair; and picking
up the basket, which now seemed heavier than ever, he led the way to the
Iron Pier.

And now they looked forward to enjoying their lunch on the boat; but the
sea was so rough, and they all in consequence became so sick, that they
were glad to hide the basket out of sight.

Thus it came to pass that the Roverings ate their lunch and supper all
in one, and decided that their day at Coney Island had not been a
success.

A SALT-WATER AQUARIUM.

BY A. W. ROBERTS.

Hundreds of young people are now spending their vacation on or near the
sea-shore, and have a good opportunity to study the wonderful habits of
animal and vegetable marine life. Therefore I have undertaken to throw
out a few plain hints as to the management of a salt-water aquarium, in
which these interesting forms of nature can be observed to greater
advantage.

We will start off with one of the small tin frame tanks sold in New York
so cheap, or a candy jar, or a small-sized wash-tub--any vessel that
will hold water, and is not of iron, tin, or copper, either of which
will poison the water.

[Illustration: ULVA.]

After washing out the tank carefully, and filling it with clear
sea-water, we will place in it twelve silver-shrimps (bait shrimps). At
the end of two days they are dead, and you ask why did they die when
they had so much water to live in. They died of suffocation, after they
had breathed all the air contained in the water. We will take out the
dead shrimps, and in the same water place a good handful of ulva
(sea-lettuce, sea-salad), one of the most common of all marine plants,
and place the aquarium in a strong and direct sunlight, by this means
exciting the ulva to work, or, as it is termed, aerify the water. In
less than an hour's time a froth will be seen forming