43 



THK KXPOSITION AQUARIUM. 



This is the proper place to mention also a very important f^ift made 

 to the Laboratory by the United States Commissioner of Fish and Fish- 

 eries, Hon. Marshall McDonald, at the close of the Exposition. 



As the attendant circumstances were imperfectly understood at the 

 time by the pui)lic at lar^n', it seems desirable to place on record here a 

 correct account of tliis transaction. 



Under your authorization, as recorded in your proceedings for Novem- 

 ber 1(5. 1892, I accepted an appointment as Director of the Aquarium 

 Exhibit of the Commission at the Columbian Exposition, taking charge 

 January 1. 1893, and continuing to serve in that capacity to the close of 

 the Exposition, October 31. At this latter date, the living inmates of 

 the A(iuarium comprised representatives of fifty-two species of marine 

 and sixty-two specimens of fresh water animals, about 2,500 specimens 

 in all. 



It was the earnest wish and hope of the Commissioner and myself that 

 the mai!itenance of this live exhibit at the exposition— of which it was 

 throughout one of the most attractive features — might result in the 

 establishment at Chicago of a permanent aquarium and biological station, 

 and to this end T was authorized in October to offer the contents of the 

 tanks in the Aquarium building, with some unimportant exceptions, first 

 to the trustees of the proposed Columbian ]Museum, and, second, to the 

 South Park Commissioners of Chicago, under such conditions only as 

 would secure the maintenance of the establishment and its development 

 as a popular a(iuarium and a station for scientific research. This offer I 

 made to the Trustees of the museum October 12th, and more fully October 

 23d, in the following letter addressed to the Secretary of the Board: 



"I beg to add to the representations of my letter of October 12th this 

 formal tender, to the trustees, of the present living contents of the 

 aquarium tanks (together with the supply of sea water in circulation), 

 with the exception'of the sea anemones, the viviparous perch, and the 

 specimens of the various species of trout, which are reserved by the 

 Commissioner for use elsewhere. This offer is subject to the following 

 conditions, intended only to enable me to assure the Commissioner that 

 the purposes he has had in view in establishing and maintaining the 

 aiiuarium exhibit will be substantially secured. 



"It is. of course, to be presumed and understood that if these collec- 

 tions are accepted, it will be with the wish and intention of maintain- 

 ing them as a live exhibit for the public benefit on at least their present 

 scale of number and variety. Such specimens as die in the aquarium 

 during the next six months are to be placed in alcohol and turned over 

 to the Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History for distribution to 

 the public high schools and State educational institutions, according to 

 the law defining the duties of the Laboratorj'. 



"We beg also that the trustees will formally express the intention, 

 which we are satisfied that they entertain, of using their best endeavors 

 for the development of the aquarium as a scientific institution— a bio- 

 logical station, in fact — witli the evpectation of affording to scientific 

 men, in due season and according to the apparent demand therefor, 

 facilities for the study and experimental investigation of the plant and 

 animal life of the fresh waters of this country. 



''To this end, we believe it indispensable that the aquarium sliould be 

 at all times under the general sui)ervision of an experienced scientific 

 biologist, capable of rightly shaping its general i)olicy. and competent by 

 training and ability to utilize for the advancement of science the abun- 

 dant opportunities for observation and experiment which such an estab- 

 lishment must afford. 



"The very sViort time now available for the organization of an aquarium 

 staff qualified and prepared to take charge of this highly perishable 

 material, crowded as this time must be with an overwlielming multitude 



