'IlllRTEF.NTII ANNUAL REPORT 89 



The number of visitors for the twelve years of the Aquarium's 

 history is now elose to twenty-two millions, as shown 1)\- the fol- 

 lowing tal)le : 



1897 \ isitors 1,635,252 Daily average 4.480 



1898 •' 1,689,471 "' " 4,628 



1899 ■' 1.841,330 " " 5,044 



1900 " 1,585.584 " " 4.344 



1901 •• 1.644,856 " " 4,506 



190-' " 1,700.453 " " 4,650 



1903 " 1,547,873 " " 4.240 



1904 " 1,625,770 " " 4,554 



1905 " 1,726,170 " " 4,729 



i9o() " 2,106,569 " " 5.771 



1907 " 2,131,393 " " 5,839 



1908 " 2,536,147 " " 6,948 



Total 21,770,868 " "12 years 4.970 



The records of attendance for the larger public nntseums of 

 America and Europe present no such figures respecting visitors. 



Judging from tlie patronage of the public the Aquarium is the 

 most popular institution in the world. 



Fish Hatchery. — The United States Bureau of Fisheries has 

 generously supplied from year to year fish eggs from Government 

 trout, salmon, shad and whitefish hatcheries, for the maintenance 

 of the Aquarium exhibit of fish culture. Eggs are received as 

 different species come in season and the hatching trays, troughs 

 and glass tanks show during most of the year fish eggs and young 

 fishes of several kinds in various stages of development. The New 

 York Fish Commission continues to remove to State waters the 

 annual output of young fishes amounting to two or three millions. 



The Aquarium fish cultural exhibit is an object of frequent in- 

 quiry and undoubtedly awakens an interest in the subject of pri- 

 vate fish raising, which is an occupation of growing importance. 

 Quite a number of men have sought information respecting the 

 methods of fish growing and have availed themselves of the 

 facilities afforded by the Aquarium library. 



The Director's article on the "Cultivation of Fishes in Ponds," 

 published by the New York Zoological Society, in its eleventh 

 annual report, has been republished by the American Fisheries 

 Society and by two magazines devoted to outdoor life, and permis- 

 sion to reprint has been given to the fishery commissions of four 

 different States. Many of the fish culturists of the country re- 



