88 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Fish Hatchery. — The fish-cultural exhibit is kept in operation 

 during all the months when eggs of food fishes are in season. 

 About 2,300,000 young fry were distributed in state waters, being 

 delivered to the New York State Fish Commission. 



Fish eggs were presented by the United States Bureau of 

 Fisheries, the State Fish Commission, and the Tuxedo Club. 

 Over 1,000,000 yellow perch fry, hatched from eggs collected on 

 Long Island by employees of the Aquarium, were deposited in 

 lakes in the Zoological Park, the Bronx River and elsewhere. 

 The species hatched during the year were brook, rainbow, lake, 

 steelhead and brown-trout; whitefish, yellow perch and smelt. 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



The electric lighting facilities were increased by additional 

 lights over the exhibition tanks and pools, and the gas lighting 

 system was extended to the main floor tanks. The artificial light 

 now available is still insufficient for the proper illumination of 

 the building on dark days, especially in the winter. 



A feed-water heater for the boilers was installed with a view 

 to decreasing the consumption of coal and a bronze salt-water 

 heater was also installed for the warming of water containing 

 tropical fishes. 



It is five years since the Zoological Society accepted the control 

 of the Aquarium, and a summing up of the various improvements 

 efifected during that period seems to be desirable. 



The principal improvements in the building itself were made 

 possible through the Improvement Funds granted by the City in 

 1903 and 1904; the minor improvements — chiefly in the equip- 

 ment — were accomplished at different times from the Maintenance 

 Fund. The following list shows the more important items under 

 each head : 



Improvement Fund. — The construction of an underground 

 reservoir for pure sea-water ; the construction of filters for sea- 

 water; the construction of pipe-galleries under the building; the 

 enlargement of forty-three skylights ; the erection of larger 

 boilers; the introduction of a ventilating system; alterations to 

 correct unsightly features of the building; the artificial aeration 

 of the tanks ; the painting of the interior ; the introduction of 

 leadlined piping — this work now bein^ completed ; the erection 

 of an iron and plate glass vestibule ; the attachment of the ther- 

 mostat system to the entire heating equipment. 



