CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE 



uaria 



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Millions of people get their first knowledge of the wonders of the 

 water world in public aquaria. These institutions add immensely to 

 popular education. Since most of them now have good collections of 

 the smaller species available for the home (tropicals and goldfish) they 

 cannot fail to introduce many a person to the pleasures of aquarium- 

 keeping. 



The magnetic attraction of water life is again proven (if need be) 

 by the fact that the Aquarium at Battery Park in New York has, year 

 after year, until recently, recorded the largest attendance of any institu- 

 tion or place of amusement in the world, the present approximate figures 

 being about 7,000 visitors per day. This has only been exceeded by the 

 Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where the average attendance since ita 

 opening in June, 1930, has averaged more than 12,000 per day. Admis- 

 sion is charged on four days per week. 



Chicago is the only city in our country which is successfully sup- 

 porting two first-class public aquaria— the Lincoln Park and the Shedd, 

 the latter being the most modern in the world today. It was erected 

 at a cost of $3,000,000 for the buildings and equipment alone. Sea water 

 from Key West for a single filling costs about $39,000. Needless to say, 

 inland aquaria take precious care of their marine water by filtering, 

 aeration and laboratory tests. The success they achieve in this respect 

 is remarkable. Even coastwise aquaria must take care of their marine 

 water, for they have to go out several miles to get an unpolluted supply. 



In addition to various methods of purification it is necessary for 

 most public aquaria to have plants for heating, refrigerating and storing 

 water. Casual visitors have not the least idea of the "works" in back 

 of the scene arranged for their pleasure and benefit, but those especially 

 interested can see them on request. 



The securing and transporting of specimens of fishes also entails 

 difficulties, dangers and disappointments which can hardly be appreci- 



