354 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



ing line is passed and secured. Thread is then 

 wound around the hank, securing it in a com- 

 pact bunch four or five inches long and two or 

 three inches thick. This makes the "bob." 



Eel bobbing may be done anywhere about 

 the shores of New York Bay in water five or 

 six feet deep, or in fact over the very sand- 

 flats from which the worms were obtained. The 

 time for fishing is from the first of the flood- 

 tide to high-water. After the boat is anchored, 

 the "bob," with a two-ounce sinker attached, 

 is dropped overboard and kept close to the 

 bottom by sounding. If eels are about, the 

 fun will commence immediately. 



The eels seize the "bob" and hang on until 

 they are lifted into the boat. The thread 

 wound about the "bob" holds it together a long 

 time. Sometimes four or five eels are lifted 

 from the water at once, and a bobber may 

 catch a bushel of them, varying in size from 

 six inches to two feet, at one tide. 



Bobbing for eels is wet work, and it is well 

 for the fisherman to wear oilskin overalls and 

 rubber boots. A low boat is best, as the eels 

 do not hang to the "bob" very long. 



Bobbing is also done from the shore with a 

 fishing-rod, the eels being thrown out onto the 

 bank. Then the spectators have the fun of 

 seeing the bobber catch the slippery creatures 

 and put them in the basket. Half of those 

 tossed ashore may wriggle into the water be- 

 fore they are captured. 



Eel-bobbing parties are often formed in 

 localities where eels abound and the sport is 

 lively. The best time to bob for eels is at 

 night, but good catches are also made by day. 

 — From the notes of IV. J. Dc Nyse. 



THE CENTENIAL OF THE AQUARIUM. 



ON THE evening of May 23 a reception 

 was given at the Aquarium by the New 

 York Zoological Society, to the New 

 York Academy of Sciences, in commemoration 

 of the two hundredth anniversary of the birth 

 of Linnaeus. Advantage was taken of this 

 occasion to celebrate the centennial of the 

 Aquarium building, the construction of which 

 was begun in 1807. 



Addidonal electric lights having been put 

 in the building, the first view was afforded of 

 the collections by night, 450 guests viewing the 

 novel spectacle. The Aquarium was decorated 

 with many plants and Japanese lanterns and 

 a large orchestra was provided. The palms 

 and other plants were kindly supplied for the 

 evening by the Department of Parks through 

 Commissioner Moses Herrman. 



The Aquarium building lends itself admir- 

 ably to decoration, and many expressions of 

 approval were heard from visitors. In view 

 of this fact it may be desirable to hold future 

 meetings of the Zoological Society in the 

 building, and the Executive Committee is con- 

 sidering the advisability of opening the 

 Aquarium to the public on two or more even- 

 ings of each week. 



THE JUNGLE WALK AND BRONX- 

 DALE ENTRANCE. 



VISITORS to the Zoological Park will 

 find open to them a new walk leading 

 through a particularly beautiful tract of 

 virgin forest, and also a new entrance. Here- 

 tofore, the area situated between the Beaver 

 Pond and Lake Agassiz,and formerly called the 

 beech woods, has not been open to the public, 

 for the reason that improvements around the 

 Bronxdale entrance were not completed. Now, 

 however, the walk along the river from that 

 entrance up to the Beaver Pond, has been fin- 

 ished. On Sunday, June 8th, the new entrance 

 at the Bronx River Bridge on the Boston 

 Road, and known as the Bronxdale entrance, 

 was opened to the ptiblic for the first time. It 

 renders accessible to visitors the waterfall. 

 Lake Agassiz, and the most beautiful woods in 

 the whole Zoological Park. 



With infinite pains, a board walk has been 

 constructed through the virgin forest, between 

 Lake Agassiz and the Beaver Pond, without 

 in the slightest degree disturbing the tree roots 

 and the ground along its borders. In order 

 to avoid the destructiveness of teaming 

 through those woods, all the materials for the 

 board walk were run in by hand, and not one 

 team has ever passed over that course. The 

 natural beauties of the forest have been most 

 jealously preserved, and every lover of nature 

 will be delighted with the untouched condition 

 of the beech forest, and the beauty of the 

 ferns, mosses and wild flowers which em- 

 bellish the earth on every side. 



The brook coming down from the Beaver 

 Pond constitutes a pleasing feature. This 

 tract of forest has been named "The Jungle," 

 and the walk leading through it is called "The 

 Jungle Walk." Lake Agassiz, the waterfall 

 and the glen below them must be seen to be 

 appreciated, and those who love the quiet se- 

 clusion of an untouched forest, as found in 

 spring, will undoubtedly find this region a 

 charming resort. Seats have been placed 

 along the Jungle Walk, and they are well 

 patronized. Of course the public is not per- 



