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ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



WALL TANK. AT THE AQUARIUM. 

 Showing new rockwork background. 



THE NEW ROCKWORK 

 BACKGROUND 



AT THE 



NEW YORK AQUARIUM 



A TTENTION is Called to the photograph in this num- 

 ber of the Bulletin, showing the character of the new 

 rockwork linings now being placed in the exhibition 

 tanks at the Aquarium. It has long been apparent 

 to visitors to this popular institution that the lining 

 of white tiles in the fish tanks does not form a suit- 

 able background for the beautiful collections ex- 

 hibited in them, and that the effect of this back- 

 ground is monotonous in the extreme, being the 

 same for all species exhibited in the lower series of 

 wall-tanks, whether native or foreign. The same is 

 true of the large floor pools in the building, and the 

 entire collection of fishes, embracing usually about 

 150 different species, has been exhibited under very 

 unfavorable conditions. Animals in a state of 

 nature, are acted upon by their environment, and 

 their color being more or less dependent on their 

 surroundings, experience has shown that there has 

 undoubtedly been a loss of color as a result of the 

 whiteness of the tanks containing the species at the 

 Aquarium. 



The lining of white tiles, which has given the tanks 

 somewhat the appearance of a series of bath-tubs. 



is being removed steadily, and a lining of cement 

 substituted. After a few weeks the cement takes 

 on a rich brown tone which is more agreeable to 

 the eye. It is not obtrusive, and the fishes can be 

 viewed with greater comfort against this negative 

 background. Rockwork will replace the cement 

 lining as fast as suitable rock can be procured. 



About a dozen tanks have already been converted 

 into marine grottos experimentally, and it is believed 

 that every tank in the Aquarium should eventually 

 be made to represent a sea cavern as naturally as 

 possible. It is not easy to do this, but a search is 

 being made along the coast for wave-worn rock, and 

 with the aid of photographs taken under the cliff's at 

 low tide, a number of very interesting sea pictures 

 can be worked out. 



With the introduction of star-fishes, sea anemones, 

 crabs and other creatures which cling more or less 

 to the rocks, the exhibits will have a still greater 

 interest for the public. 



Sea-weeds of various colors are being introduced 

 into the salt-water tanks, while fresh-water plants 

 will be used for decoration in the tanks containing 

 the fresh-water species. 



The charming effects to be found in some of the 

 public aquariums of Europe are chiefly due to treat- 

 ment of this character. 



Another advantage of the rough background of 

 rockwork, with sea -weed, is the apparent interest 

 which the fishes themselves take in exploring the 



