928 PARKS 



is comparatively simple and inexpensive as compared with those requiring 

 sea water. 



Let us consider briefly the list of the more conspicuous fresh-water 

 fishes available for a large aquarium situated, for instance, on the Great 

 Lakes. Among those for which large tanks would be desirable are muskel- 

 lunge, pike, pickerel, pike-perch, lake, rainbow, brook and other trouts, 

 Atlantic salmon, lake sturgeon, fresh-water drum, long- and short-nosed 

 gars, burbot, bowfin and two species of black basses. Certain large fishes 

 of the Mississippi are also obtainable, such as shovelnosed sturgeon, giant 

 gar and catfish. 



These are about all that can be considered large, numbering perhaps 

 little more than twenty all told. All others, such as the various species of 

 whitefishes, basses, sunfishes, chubs, suckers and so on down the list, are 

 of course available, but are less striking in the opinion of visitors and 

 must constitute the exhibits of the smaller tanks. The Pacific Coast region 

 lies too far away for practicable collecting purposes, and the larger fresh- 

 water fishes available there would be limited chiefly to the trouts. 



Unless the inland aquarium is to display a great variety of small things, 

 it would be unwise to construct more fresh-water tanks than could be filled. 

 It would also be unwise to construct as many sea-water tanks as would be 

 required for the numerous kinds of sea fishes by an aquarium located on the 

 Atlantic Coast. While small aquatic forms of life are attractive to persons 

 interested in natural history, experience indicates that the average aquarium 

 visitor likes to see the big and striking things, paying little attention to the 

 labels describing those of small size. 



An exhibit of fresh-water fishes, however varied, is one of rather monot- 

 onous coloration. The brilliantly colored fishes from Florida and Bermuda 

 undoubtedly lead in attractiveness with visitors to the New York Aquarium, 

 while northern sea fishes constitute a close second. An inland aquarium would 

 necessarily find its marine and tropical exhibits more difficult to maintain 

 than one located on the Atlantic Coast, where transportation by steamer, 

 in tanks constantly supplied with flowing sea water, makes shipment safe 

 and inexpensive as compared with shipment by rail. 



Fishes still constitute the bulk of the exhibits in all aquariums, the 

 number of aquatic reptiles, batrachians, mammals and invertebrates being 

 usually rather limited, although they are entitled to the same consideration. 

 Water plants and insects have hitherto been disregarded. The name aqua- 

 rium permits of a very broad interpretation, and the ideal aquarium has 

 not yet appeared in any country. The inland aquarium builder should 

 therefore consider very fully the character and availability of the exhibits 



