REPORE OF THE DIRE CROOK 
OF fink AOUARTUME 
TO THE BOARD OF MANAGERS. 
HE Aquarium was placed under the management of the 
Zoological Society on the 31st day of October, 1902, the 
Hon. William R. Willcox representing the city of New York, and 
Professor Henry F. Osborn representing the New York Zoo- 
logical Society. The Director was present at the transfer, and 
was immediately placed in charge. 
The Aquarium has been under the control of the Society for 
two months. Two-thirds of the Aquarium force remain, includ- 
ing the regular aquarists and the clerk, and have rendered effi- 
cient service to the Society. Three employees of the U. S. Fish 
Commission were among those secured to fill vacancies, one of 
them acting as foreman of the entire laboring force. A stenog- 
rapher was secured and the office immediately fitted for the 
proper conducting of its correspondence and the preservation 
of its records. 
Progress has been somewhat hampered for three reasons: the 
considerable amount of pioneer work that was necessary in es- 
tablishing a working routine; the defects in the building itself; 
and the limited amount of funds available during the balance 
of the year 1902. 
The Director has devoted most of his time to studying the 
needs of the Aquarium, and to preparing plans for its de- 
velopment. 
CONDITION OF THE BUILDING. 
The building has been thoroughly examined by architects, who 
are now preparing estimates relative to the enlarging of sky- 
lights, the renewal of iron piping, the decoration of the walls, 
and other permanent improvements. 
Openings for transparent labels above the exhibition tanks 
have been cut, and the preparation of labels is under way. The 
insufficiency of light in the building is one of its serious defects, 
