930 PARKS 



lights are seldom made large enough for satisfactory views of the living 

 occupants of the tanks. Too much light on bright days can be restricted 

 by shades, while on dark days light cannot be too abundant. Artificial 

 light is a most unsatisfactory substitute. The line of skylights above the 

 exhibition tanks should be almost continuous and should be twice as wide 

 as the tanks to light them properly. 



While all of the points considered above are of prime importance, 

 there are other matters of secondary importance that should not be over- 

 looked. The mere setting of the heavy plate glass fronts of exhibition tanks 

 by inexperienced persons has resulted in much unnecessary breakage in 

 all aquariums known to us. Water pressure will promptly crack heavy 

 glass that is not evenly supported on every part of its margin. Persons 

 contemplating the construction of an aquarium are therefore urged to under- 

 take the initial expense of a careful study of some public aquarium known 

 to be in successful operation and thus avoid mistakes that will result in 

 greater expenses for necessary alterations. The New York Aquarium, which 

 maintains perhaps larger collections than any institution of its kind, has 

 had its full share of expensive alterations during the past twenty-three 

 years, an experience which a new aquarium should be spared. During this 

 period we have been called upon to write scores of letters on this subject. 

 It is scarcely necessary to add that representatives sent to the New York 

 Aquarium will be afforded every facility for studying the aquarium methods 

 employed here. 



The public aquarium, with its exhibits of living aquatic animals, which 

 has come into existence in many of the larger cities of the world during 

 recent years, may well be classed as a museum of natural history, since it 

 exists for the education and recreation of the people. In some cities the 

 aquarium is maintained as a feature of the zoological garden, while in others 

 it is a separate institution. An aquarium is sometimes established in con- 

 nection with the work of a biological laboratory. The aquarium in New 

 York is maintained by the city, its entire management being in the hands 

 of the New York Zoological Society, which provides all exhibits from its 

 private funds. The aquariums in Boston and Detroit are city institutions, 

 controlled in each case by a department of parks. There are small aqua- 

 riums in American and European cities which are conducted entirely as 

 private business enterprises. There are probably not less than thirty aqua- 



1 New York Zoological Society, Information Circular No. 6, by Charles H. Townsend, Director New York 

 Aquarium. 



