2l8 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



MIAkK ( AI'IL'KED NEAR SANDY HOOK. 



THE TRANSPORTATION OF LARGE SHARKS. 



'\^7HILE the Aquarium has had no difiSculty 

 in transporting and capturing small sharks 

 of four or five feet in length, the handhng of large 

 specimens has so far been unsuccessful. During 

 the past summer four sharks, varying from eight 

 to nine feet in length, were captured in pound-nets 

 near Sandy Hook, and brought to the Aquarium. 

 The method employed was to place each animal 

 in a boat sufficiently large to hold it comfortably. 

 This boat being placed in a large steam-launch 

 and filled with water, was brought to the Aquarium 

 as rapidly as possible. Although the water was 

 changed constantly during each trip, only one 

 specimen arrived in fairly good condition. This 

 shark was a great attraction for about five days 

 as it swam about the large central pool. After 

 its death it was carefully examined and found to 

 be, like the others, considerably bruised. Big 

 sharks are so hea\-y, and offer such resistance dur- 

 ing capture, that by the time they are brought under 

 control, they are hable to have received injuries 

 which they cannot survive. It is also possible that 

 large sharks will not flourish in brackish water 

 as well as small ones. The accompanying photo- 

 graph of one of the specimens captured will serve 

 to give an idea of their size. Big sharks do so much 

 damage when they get into pound-nets, and are so 

 ugly to handle that it is almost impossible to get 

 the fishermen to treat them with the care necessary 

 for an Aquarium specimen. They are also greatly 



averse to retaining them in their nets long enough 

 for suitable arrangements to be made for their 

 transportation. Other big fishes, like sturgeon 

 and drum, are easily handled and stand the trans- 

 portation so well that there is usually no difficulty 

 about keeping them permanently on exhibition. 



The white whale is an air-breathing mammal 

 which can be readily transported, and has been 

 successfully exhibited at the Aquarium. Early* 

 last summer arrangements were made with the 

 superintendent of a white-whale fishery on the St. 

 Lawrence, for the capture of two specimens. The 

 season passed, however, without any being secured, 

 although acceptable prices were offered. The 

 capture of white whales will be attempted again 

 during the coming summer. It now seems possible 

 to secure specimens of the dolphin or harbor por- 

 poise. This species frequents in summer certain 

 inlets of the Jersey coast, and an inducement will 

 be offered to the local fishermen to undertake its 

 capture. 



SEA-FISHES AT THE AQUARIUM. 



The sea-fishes exhibited at the Aquarium, with 

 the exception of certain tropical species, are pro- 

 cured in local waters. They are supplied chiefly 

 by the collector of the Aquarium staff, a smaller 

 portion being purchased from New Jersey fisher- 

 men operating^pound-nets near Sandy^Hook, and 



