TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT 115 



shore forms of life for class work, or the help of an expert in 

 setting up school room aquaria ; biologists seeking marine labora- 

 tory material or advice as to where it may be obtained ; com- 

 mercial fishermen in search of information ; sportsmen-anglers 

 with specimens from distant waters to be identified ; and a corre- 

 spondence from states far and near with persons both lettered 

 and unlettered. 



While the institution with its living aquatic exhibits may 

 be called an aquarium, its relations with the people of the city 

 and the country at large are those of a museum of natural his- 

 tory and a widely known one at that. The Aquarium faces the 

 same demand for special publications pertaining to its work that 

 other museums do, and its distribution of such already extends 

 far and wide. 



With these facts in view, it will be seen that the improve- 

 ments effected during the past year, with those to be made dur- 

 ing the coming year, are merely such as the Aquarium actually 

 needs for the day's work. The sight-seeing public will care little 

 about the improvement of the mechanical department, but it will 

 appreciate the increase to be made in the exhibits. When the 

 third story, with its increased office facilities and biological 

 laboratory is ready for occupancy, that section of the public 

 making its appeals to the Aquarium as an educational and scien- 

 tific institution will be better served than hitherto has been pos- 

 sible. 



The New Electric Pumping Plant. — This splendid equip- 

 ment consists of rotary pumps for the circulation of stored sea 

 water through all tanks containing marine species of fishes ; the 

 circulation of harbor water through large floor pools not con- 

 nected with the reservoir; the circulation of refrigerated fresh 

 water in summer ; pumps for emergency use when water pres- 

 sure is low in the City mains, and vacuum pumps for the return 

 of exhaust steam to the boilers for reheating. All of these pumps 

 are in duplicate as safeguards against temporary breakdowns. 

 In addition to these, the following-named single electric equip- 

 ments have been installed ; air compressor, vacuum pump, ther- 

 mostatic control pump, ammonia compressor, motor-driven fan 

 for air circulation, and sump pump to guard against flooding 

 of the pump room. 



The New Heating Plant. — This installation has been in use 

 since October 24. There are three low-pressure boilers to fur- 



