126 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



On the evening of December 27, the various Zoological So- 

 cieties attending the New York meeting of the American Asso- 

 ciation for the Advancement of Science were entertained at the 

 Aquarium, 520 men being present. 



The entertainment took the form of a smoker, which was 

 very emphatically pronounced the most satisfactory feature of 

 the whole week as it gave the delegates an unusual opportunity 

 for an evening of informal talk. The Director and the Aqua- 

 rium Committee acted as a reception committee. 



The annual reception at the Aquarium to m^embers of the 

 Zoological Society was held on the evening of May 1, when 355 

 guests were present. 



On July 30, an explosion occurred on the New Jersey side 

 of the Bay, which resulted in the breaking of 64 roof skylights 

 and a large number of the ceiling skylights in the Aquarium. 

 The roof skylights were repaired without delay, and the bill 

 presented to the Commissioner of Parks, to be paid from Park 

 Department funds. An estimate was made for the repair of 

 the ceiling skylights and submitted to the Commissioner of 

 Parks, who applied for special revenue bonds. The latter re- 

 pairs have not yet been made, and if longer delayed there will 

 result a considerable loss of heat during the winter. 



THE EXHIBITS. 



The living exhibits of the Aquarium are at the present time 

 in excellent condition, and all available exhibition space is fully 

 occupied. The total number of specimens in the building is 

 5,992, and the number of species 199. Of fishes there are 4,196 

 specimens; invertebrates, 1,306; amphibians, 365; reptiles, 123, 

 and mammals, only 2 — a sea lion and a manatee. 



The manatee, (Manatus inunguis) , is the first specimen of 

 the Amazon River species to be exhibited in this country. It 

 was secured through the help of Captain Torrible of the 

 Booth Line Steamer Stephen. This manatee, which is five feet 

 long, was received on July 3, and is apparently in the best of 

 health at the close of the year. 



During the summer there was much public interest in 

 sharks as the result of accidents on the coast of New Jersey, 

 where three bathers lost their lives. The Aquarium secured sev- 



