I330 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



be utilized to a large extent during the daytime for illuminating these exhibits 

 with the help of properly arranged reflectors. Colored plates and photographs 

 may be used to good effect on the walls of the hall at the ends of the gallery. 

 (The two latter methods are offered as tentative suggestions for adapting to other 

 museum conditions some of the ideas contained in method no. i .) 



SUPPLEMENTARY SUGGESTIONS. 



(i) Small fishes. — Some species which should be represented in a synoptic 

 series are so small that they would appear lost if placed directly against the case 

 background. A good setting for such forms is shown in plate CXL. Here two 

 specimens of Hippocampus hudsonius are mounted against a colored plaster 

 panel, modeled in relief to give a suggestion of seaweed. 



(2) Small balanced aquaria of living fishes may be used with good effect at or 

 near the windows of the exhibition hall (pi. cxxxii) . They may be either fresh 

 water or marine, and forms may be exhibited from time to time that will be 

 objects of interest in themselves. In such instances, small descriptive labels 

 may be placed near the aquaria to bring out the interesting features. These 

 labels should have removable backs to permit the insertion of new descriptive 

 material as the fish exhibited are changed. 



(3) Colored plates like those used in the synoptic series may be arranged in 

 panels as wall decorations, as in plate cxxxii. These panels should harmonize 

 with the general color scheme of the exhibit setting and may be devoted to 

 the fauna of specific regions. 



(4) Photographs of living fish, or illustrating the commercial fisheries, etc., 

 may be used to add interest and attractiveness to the halls. 



(5) A plan of the hall should be placed at the entrance to aid the visitor in 

 orienting himself and in finding groups of which he may be in search. 



(6) Many of the descriptive labels may be effectively illustrated either by 

 indexed outline drawings for the sake of added clearness (pi. cxxxi) or by 

 water-color sketches illustrating interesting habits (pi. cxxxix). 



(7) A special exhibit of the fishes most abundant locally could be made an 

 attractive feature, or this could be arranged as a seasonal exhibit by changing 

 the fishes to correspond with their seasonal abundance in local waters. 



(8) Single specimens may sometimes be artistically mounted on a pedestal, 

 with just a suggestion of accessory setting, as in plate cxli. 



PROVISIONAL LIST OF FISHES FOR A SYNOPTIC EXHIBIT. 



In the following list selection has been made from species which would fall 

 under the five following classes: (i) Typical forms; (2) commercial forms; 

 (3) peculiar and striking forms ; (4) forms with interesting Hfe-habits ; (5) forms 

 valuable for illustrating biological phenomena Uke protective coloration, symbi- 



