The Zoologist— August, 1874. 4115 



writes, "Our gardens were new, popular and fashionable, and 

 I have known as many as 250,000 (nearly the whole population of 

 Hamburg and its environs) enter these gardens in five or six days. 

 We had as many as 25,000 to 32,000 pass the gates on a fine 

 Sunday or Easter Monday or Whit-Monday, and of course the 

 aquarium gained by this. 1 have known £80 taken in the aquarium 

 in twelve hours on such a Simday, and in the autumn of 1864 we 

 took £60 a-week for ten weeks consecutively. But as the whole 

 place had but one-tenth of the population of London, this could 

 not last; hence its great popularity was at first, and hence the 

 smallness of the average takings when spread over six or seven 

 years." Turning, lastly, to Sydenham, we are only able to state, in 

 broad terms, that the cost of the buildings, tanks, machinery, &c., 

 and of stocking, was about £12,000, exclusive of ground ; and that 

 a large dividend has resulted from its operations. Mr. Lloyd has 

 expressed his decided opinion that, successful as it is biologically, 

 even this aquarium could not possibly be made to pay apart from the 

 other attractions of the Palace; further, in a letter to Mr. Hughes, 

 full of practical information of the most valuable kind, freely com- 

 municated in that spirit of brotherhood which ever characterizes 

 the true enthusiast in Natural History, he lays down the broad 

 general principle, that no aquarium can be made to pay its way, 

 unassisted by other attractions, even in the largest centre of popu- 

 lation, unless its cost be limited to £3000 and its annual expenses 

 to £500. The facts which we have endeavoured to summarize 

 seem to support this conclusion, and we venture to suggest, 

 finally, that in carrying out the scheme of an aquarium in Bir- 

 mingham, the alternatives which the promoters will have first to 

 consider are — 



1st. Its establishment on a small scale, success depending solely 

 on its attractions as a scientific and educational institution. 



2nd. Its formation on a much larger scale, the addition of other 

 attractions and sources of revenue being then admitted to be 

 necessary for pecuniary success. 



In either case it will be important to consider whether the scheme 

 shall be carried out in connection with any existing institution or 

 place of public resort, the attractions of which already suffice 

 to bring together a large number of persons, of whom a certain 

 proportion would pay an extra fee for admission to the aquarium 

 itself. 



