108 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



IMPROVEMENT OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING. 



The condition of the roof and other parts of the building 

 in need of repair was brought to the attention of the Commis- 

 sioner of Parks during the summer. 



Funds from Special Revenue bonds to the amount of 

 $2,000.00 were secured and improvements were made under the 

 supervision of the Park Department. These include refacing of 

 the outer walls, repairs to the roof and strengthening of the 

 archway of the rear entrance. 



The refacing of the exterior surfaces of the walls was greatly 

 needed, much of the old brown-stone finish having peeled off. 

 While no ordinary expenditure could make the Aquarium build- 

 ing look like anything else than the fortification it was originally 

 built for, the small sum spent on it has considerably improved 

 its outside appearance. 



THE EXHIBITS. 



A census of the collections at the end of the year showed 

 that there were in the Aquarium 3,186 fishes representing 140 

 different species; 95 aquatic reptiles of 23 species; 166 amphib- 

 ians of 14 species; 3 aquatic mammals of 2 species and 2,338 

 invertebrates of 21 species. These figures do not include the 

 product of the fish hatching exhibit, the young fishes being de- 

 livered from time to time to the State fish culturist for stocking 

 public waters. 



The quantity and variety of the exhibits as compared with 

 those of the previous year necessarily show but little change. 

 The Aquarium cannot increase the number of its exhibition 

 tanks, the capacity of the building in this respect having been 

 reached years ago. 



The collection of tropical fishes is large and varied. The 

 tanks devoted to this collection are well filled and the exhibits 

 are always attractive to the public. 



The collection of fresh water fishes includes most of the 

 important species of eastern fishes. 



The exhibits of other kinds of aquatic life are as large as 

 the remaining space will permit. There are at present 5,688 

 specimens of all kinds in the building, representing 200 species. 

 These being crowded into about 100 exhibition tanks make addi- 

 tions impossible. 



