74 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



most European aquariums, are very good. 

 While the exhibition-tanks are smaller than 

 those found elsewhere, they contain a much 

 larger collection of fishes, there being usually 

 about 150 species on hand. 



With suitable decoration of the interior 

 walls, and the construction of more natural 

 backgrounds for the collections in the tanks, 

 it can be made the most attractive aquarium 

 in the world. 



Considering the fact of its large attendance 

 — about 5,000 persons daily — its improvement 

 as a place of recreation for the people should 

 not be delayed. 



LIGHTING. 



One of the most serious defects of the 

 building is the lack of light, which is ap- 

 parent not only on the main floor but in 

 the tanks containing the exhibits. When a 



SERVICE GALLERY. 



sufficient amount of light can be admitted 

 to the tanks to permit of the collections 

 being viewed clearly and distinctly, and the 

 light on the main floor increased, a most 

 decided improvement will be observed. The 

 large central dome is so constructed that but 

 little light now reaches the central floor pool, 

 which ought to be made one of the most at- 

 tractive features of the building. 



The accompanying photograph of the 

 service gallery, giving a rear view of the ex- 

 hibition-tanks on the balcony and main floor, 

 shows the extremelv small size of the over- 



head skylights. These skylights are so small, 

 and placed so high above the collections, that 

 the latter are never seen with sufficient clear- 

 ness. 



The building, originally a fort and having 

 walls some nine feet thick, has to be lighted 

 from above. The light is, in fact, so inade- 

 quate that attempts to maintain water-plants 

 in the exhibition-tanks have failed. The new 

 plans for lighting the Aquarium provide for 

 fully three times as much light as is now ad- 

 mitted. This, it is believed, will show the ex- 

 hibits with perfect clearness, and permit the 

 introduction of both fresh and salt water 

 plants. 



When a sufficient amount of light is se- 

 cured it will be possible to remove the pres- 

 ent lining of white tiles from the exhibition- 

 tanks anil replace them with rockwork, so 

 that the charming effects for which the Na- 

 ples Aquarium is noted can be reproduced at 

 New York. An attempt has already been 

 made to change the lining of the tanks, and 

 the results are such as to show that an im- 

 portant change can be made in this respect. 

 This work has been delayed until a supply of 

 more suitable rock can be secured. 



The decoration of the interior walls is a 

 matter of great importance. The present in- 

 terest which the interior of the Aquarium has 

 for the visitor lies almost entirely in the col- 

 lections exhibited, while the spaciousness of 

 the exhibition room is lost owing to the total 

 absence of decoration. A scheme of colora- 

 tion for the interior is now being worked out, 

 and with the introduction of light and the 

 tinting of the walls and pillars the interior 

 can readily be transformed into a very beau- 

 tiful audience room. 



WATER SUPPLY. 



The New York Aquarium, being supplied 

 with salt-water from New York Bay, is 

 placed at a serious disadvantage when com- 

 pared with foreign institutions, and next to 

 the securing of the proper amount of light 

 a new water supply is probably what it stands 

 most in need of. The salt-water collections 

 of European aquariums are maintained in 

 pure sea-water stored in large reservoirs, and 

 the collections can be viewed through a 

 medium of transparent clearness, a condition 

 totally different from that obtaining at New 

 York. The system of "closed circulation" — 

 by means of stored sea-water — should be in- 

 troduced without delay. By this method 

 alone can clear water and constant tempera- 

 tures be secured. Closed circulation has been 

 employed by the LTnited States Fish Commis- 

 sion in the aquariums maintained at the vari- 



