TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 91 



specimens from the reserve tanks of the Aquarium were distrib- 

 uted during the year to twenty schools which requested them. 

 Several thousand children in classes accompanied by their teach- 

 ers visited the Aquarium during the year. 



Live Fishes at the Food Show. — At the request of the U. S. 

 Bureau of Fisheries the Aquarium exhibited live fishes at the 

 Food Show held in the Grand Central Palace, June 14-22. Four 

 large aquaria were sent, containing white perch, yellow perch, 

 bowfin and carp, the Bureau being engaged in exploiting these 

 abundant but rather neglected food fishes. 



Loss of Manatee. — The Amazon Manatee {Manatus inim- 

 guis), which had lived in the Aquarium over two years, was lost 

 in July. When dissected at the Museum it presented the extra- 

 ordinary abnormality of having two distinct stomachs. 



Game Fish Trophies. — The Racquet and Tennis Club of New 

 York has presented to the Aquarium six mounted specimens of 

 large game fishes, comprising two tarpons, two tunas, a sail-fish 

 and a California yellow-tail. 



Annual Reception. — The annual reception at the Aquarium 

 on the evening of May 6, to members of the Zoological Society, 

 was attended by 315 persons. A recent addition to the collection 

 of tropical fishes added to the interest of the occasion. Music 

 and refreshments were provided, as at former receptions. 



Reception to the Ameiicayi Fisheries Society. — On the eve- 

 ning of September 10, the American Fisheries Society, then hold- 

 ing its forty-seventh annual meeting in New York, was invited 

 to a smoker at the Aquarium, as guests of the Zoological Society. 

 One hundred and nine persons were present, and refreshments 

 were provided. Motion pictures illustrative of fish culture and 

 methods of the commercial fisheries were shown. This important 

 organization has a nation-wide membership of 760. The New 

 York meeting was devoted largely to the vital subject of the ever- 

 increasing pollution of the waters. 



Navy Recruiting Station. — During the spring and summer 

 an enclosed space on the main floor of the Aquarium was placed 

 at the service of the Navy Deparment for recruiting purposes. 

 The naval officer in charge examined 539 applicants for enlist- 

 ment. Permission was granted the department to display within 



