102 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



GUIIIK r.OOK. 



riie prcparalidu of a useful i;ui(lc book is well advanced. 

 Serious consideration is being" given to tliis feature of the work 

 of tlie Society, in order that it may be made a book of perma- 

 nent \alue. It will ei uitain not only an account of the coUec- 

 tit)ns in the Ijuilding. but considerable information respecting the 

 methods emj)loyed in operating a great a(|uariinn ; such, for in- 

 stance, as its mechanical e(|uipment. water supply, and the gath- 

 ering and feeding of the collections. It will be illustrated with 

 a fine series of original photographs from life. 



The manuscript and illustrations of a work on The Inverte- 

 brates of the New York Coast were recently presented to the 

 Society by Dr. Alfred G. Mayer. Director of the Marine Biolog- 

 ical Station of the Carnegie Institution at the Dry Tortugas 

 Islands, Florida. Idiis work now in the hands of the printer, 

 will be i)laced on sale at the Acpiarium and elsewhere. All in- 

 come derived from it is to be applied to the improvement of the 

 A([uarium. Ueing a work leased on the sea-shore life of the 

 coast adjacent to New York, it will be not only a natural history 

 of local invertebrates, but also a reference book admirably adapted 

 for the use of those stitdying such forms of life in the Aquarium. 

 It is the intention to place on exhibition, many species of inverte- 

 l)rates as soon as the improvement of the water supply can be 

 effected. Dr. Mayer's book, and the guide book which will fol- 

 Icnv it. will constitute Nos. I and II of The New York Aquarium 

 Nature Series, and other small publicati(tns on subjects pertinent 

 to ilie work of a i>reat aciuaritun will be issued later. 



Lir.KAKV. 



The small lil)rar\ attached to the director's oftice has re- 

 ceived some very desirable additions during the year, both as 

 gifts and by purchase. It is limited to works relating to fishes, 

 fish-culture, the fishery industries, angling, marine mammals, 

 reptiles, invertebrates, and a(|uatic life in general. Authors and 

 scientific insiiiuiii ms ]i;i\e presented special papers on these sub- 

 jects.* The library of works on angling and fish culture, farmed 

 bv the late Nelson Cheney, being offercMl for sale, a luimlni- of 

 verv desirable books were secured. 



'Jhe Smithsonian Institutinn ;uid ihr I nited States l-i>lieries 

 P.ureau presented, as u>ual, tlu-ir \;dua])le .annual ])ul)licati( >ns. 



*Scc list of gifl> {<■> tin- lil)r;irv. 



