Report of a Journey Aroiind the World. 



115 



depths and far down, or to collect the fry of edible fish for stocking 

 tanks or for fish culture. 



Before a visitor has finished his journey through these public 

 halls of exhibition he must appreciate the need of the institute in 

 Paris for instruction in all these interesting and wonderful things, 

 and we turn, with a sigh that we know so little of all these matters, 

 to the basements (Fig. 98), not a part of the public exhibition, where 



THE MUSEUM FROM THE SEA. 



are the offices of the Director and his associates, the photographing 

 room, the laboratories for examining and preparing specimens, 

 whether the microscopic plankton or the gigantic whale ; all are 

 here in use, even a huge vat for macerating a good size cetacean. 

 There are the many aquaria for students and experimentation, all 

 well arranged and provided with fresh or salt water, the latter 

 pumped from a clear pool at the base of the cliff, on which the 

 museum stands, by an electric engine placed outside the main 

 building. There are of course side entrances for bringing or 

 removing specimens, and students can come directly to their rooms 



[263] 



