14 



THE 



AQUARIUM 



# 



The Chicago Exhibition. 



W. A. P0Y8ER, Hammond, Ind. 

 TT was in fear and trembling that the 

 ■*- members of the Chicago Fish 

 Fanciers Club decided to exhibit fishes 

 and aquaria at the Art Institute in con- 

 junction with the Spring Flower Show 

 of The Horticultural Society. Much had 

 been heard of the losses by theft and 

 death sustained at public exhibitions in 

 other cities. Now, however, the show is 

 over — all are wearing smiles. Less than 

 half a dozen fish died, these because 

 they were prematurely placed in the 

 unsettled tanks, the others are now 

 disporting at home. 



The aquaria were placed upon a long 

 table constructed for the purpose. Moss 

 and plants were arranged about the 

 tanks to conceal the wiring for the 

 lights and the connections to the electric 

 air pump. For lighting the tanks, the 

 Institute furnished the type of linolite 

 reflector used for illuminating paintings. 



While no attempt was made to exhibit 

 a great number of fishes, several hundred 

 were shown — about thirty species. 

 Contrary to expectations, the goldfish 

 did not arouse as much popular curiosity 

 as the tropical species, though some 

 good fringetails, black and calico tele- 

 scopes were in evidence. The activity 

 and varied coloring of the wild fishes 

 arrested the attention, rather than the 

 more conspicuous, but sluggish goldfish. 

 Several members of the club were in 

 attendence at all times, and were kept 

 busy answering questions and explaining 

 the habits of the various kinds. 



The club is doing all in its power to 

 further the plan for a large public 

 aquarium for Chicago. During the show 

 those interested in aquaria were request- 

 ed to sign name and address in a book 

 provided for the purpose. The book 



contains nearly one thousand names of 

 persons, most of whom have aquaria at 

 home. Can the growing interest in the 

 subject be more conclusively proven? 

 Care was exercised to exclude mere 

 idlers and children from the list. 



During the show, April 1st to 6th, 

 76,550 people passed through the gates. 

 The aquaria and cubist paintings really 

 attracted more attention than the flowers 

 — the choicest products of the green- 

 house. At times the people were 

 standing ten deep, eager to get to the 

 front, and listen to the "lectures". 



The club desires to express its apprecia- 

 tion of the many courtesies extended by 

 the Art Institute and The Horticultural 

 Society. The electric air-pump, com- 

 plete with pressure tank and all attach- 

 ments, loaned by the Bishop-Babcock- 

 Becker Company, operated faultlessly 

 and caused much favorable comment. 



Public Aquaria. 



"The public aquarium offers education- 

 al advantages, and this fact is evidenced 

 by the attendance statistics of the New 

 York Aquarium since its establishment 

 in 18 9 6. In the first year there 

 were 1,635,252, or a daily average of 

 4,480 visitors. 



The attendance since then has, in the 

 main, steadily increased. The lowest 

 number of visitors was in 1908, when 

 1,547,873 persons passed through the 

 doors, a daily average of 4,240. The 

 banner year was 1909, at the time of the 

 Hudson-Fulton Centennial, when the 

 visitors numbered 3,803,501, a daily 

 average of 10,420. In 1910 there were 

 3,003,511, and in 1911, 2,001,544 visitors. 



The German Aquarium at Heligoland, 

 open to the public only five months 

 of the year, averages about 16,000 paid 

 admissions while the Naples Aquarium, 

 charging 2 lire, or 39 cents, admission, 

 attracts 25,000 visitors annually. The 

 interest of travelers in such institutions 

 is apparent. The Detroit Aquarium 

 (which is free to public), only founded 

 in 1903, already has an annual attend- 

 ance of almost 1,000,000."— Ex. 



