136 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
anywhere along the coast. With a boat of this character in com- 
mission, it will be possible to bring the living exhibits up to a 
standard not yet attained by any Aquarium. 
EBxhibtt of Fancy Goldfishes—On November 27 to 30, the 
Aquarium Society of New York, an organization devoted to the 
breeding and rearing of fresh-water fishes for small aquaria, held 
an exhibition of fancy breeds of goldfishes in the Aquarium. It 
attracted considerable attention. The 24 tanks constituting the 
exhibit were displayed chiefly on the coping of the central pool. 
Improvements to Building.—The only improvements made 
to the building during the year by the City were temporary re- 
pairs to the roof. Toward the close of the year the Park Depart- 
ment authorized long needed repairs to the public lavatory in the 
Aquarium, but this work has not yet been commenced. 
Painting and Repair Work.—A considerable amount of much 
needed painting of wooden reserve tanks, distributing tanks, 
heavy piping and pump room machinery was accomplished 
through the industry of the employes. They also did excellent 
repair work on two large wooden filter tanks, each eight feet in 
diameter, which had begun to deteriorate. These tanks were 
lined with wire netting firmly secured with staples and then 
heavily coated with cement to close leaks and to insure their pre- 
servation. 
Renewal of Furnace Walls._-The rebuilding of furnace walls 
was done by contract. The walls are exposed to intense heat the 
year round and require repairs annually. 
Gravity Filters —The Jackson gravity filters installed in 
1908 in connection with the reservoir of stored sea water, are in 
need of extensive repairs, the lead pipes in the bed of the filters 
having become much corroded and otherwise deteriorated. These 
filters have rendered excellent service and must be put in thorough 
repair at an early date. No more simple and effective type of 
filter has yet been designed for such a purpose. It continually 
carries off the overflow of sixty exhibition and reserve fish tanks, 
returning the water to the reservoir cleared of all matter likely 
to affect its purity or transparency. The entire bed of the con- 
crete filtering chamber is covered with closely laid horizontal 
pipes of lead half sunken in the concrete. The exposed part of 
each pipe has innumerable crosswise cuts made with fine saws, 
which permit a rapid drainage of water without any loss of the 
