REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 

 OF THE AQUARIUM. 



TO THE BOARD OF MANAGERS. 



THE 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, 



