1044 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



A SUBMARINE LANDSCAPE AT TAHITI 

 Painted by Z. II. Pritchard 



ornithology, but the camera cannot readily 

 be brought to bear on the denizens of the 

 waters. 



The naturalist who can devote himself to the 

 observation of the ways of fishes, especially 

 among marine species, will find a fascinating 

 field and contribute new facts to Science. 



SUBMARINE PAINTING FOR THE 

 AQUARIUM 



IN THE effort to construct backgrounds 

 in the tanks at the Aquarium, as natural 

 settings for living exhibits, we have tried 

 rock-work with more or less success. Some- 

 thing new is now being tried in the way of 

 painted scenery, and it is a matter for con- 

 gratulation that we have the co-operation of 

 Mr. Z. H. Pritchard who has devoted himself 

 to submarine subjects. One of his paintings 

 now adorns the back of a tank of tropical 

 fishes. It was painted from studies and 

 observations made among the coral reefs of 

 Tahiti and is a faithful representation of what 

 Mr. Pritchard saw while under water in a 

 diving suit. The painting is not, of course, 

 immersed in water, but is in a dry, glass- 

 protected space at the back. This treatment 

 of the exhibition tank, while not ideal, is 

 still very interesting. In a larger and deeper 



tank it may be possible to place a larger 

 painting with excellent effect. 



Mr. Pritchard has not only presented the 

 painting already installed, but has promised 

 another when a larger tank can be made 

 ready. The idea is suggestive. If, for in- 

 stance, we possessed a tank of Nile fishes, a 

 background showing the half submerged 

 temple of Philae would be appropriate. 



The tone of the picture now in place is 

 bluish. It may be that greenish or brownish 

 tones would be better. The greatest present 

 difficulty is to arrange the rock-work cemented 

 to the sides of the tank in such a manner that 

 it will not stand in marked contrast to the 

 painted background. 



Mr. Pritchard's recent exhibition in New 

 York consisted entirely of paintings of the 

 submarine world, and were all based on 

 studies made during his sub-aqueous excur- 

 sions around the borders of coral reefs. 

 Judging from similar personal experiences 

 among the reefs, the writer testifies to the 

 fidelity of the artist's portrayals of what he 

 has seen. 



L'HIRONDELLE 



THE DEEP SEA EXPLORING SHIP OF THE PRINCE 

 OF MONACO 



EARLY in September the Prince of 

 Monaco arrived in New York on his deep- 

 sea exploring steamship, L'Hirondelle. 

 The scientific staff of the vessel visited the 

 Aquarium and later invited officers of the Aqua- 

 rium, the American Museum of Natural Histo- 

 ry, and the Zoological Park to inspect the bio- 

 logical laboratories on board the ship. On 

 September 20 the vessel sailed for Monaco. 



L'Hirondelle is the fourth vessel built by 

 the Prince for deep-sea investigations during 

 the past thirty years, and his oceanographic 

 publications now number thirty or forty 

 quarto volumes all splendidly illustrated. 



This vessel has a deep-sea exploration 

 equipment similar in many respects to that 

 of the U. S. Fisheries Steamship "Albatross," 

 but is a little larger, being of about seventeen 

 hundred tons. The space devoted to scientific 

 work is not so large as that on board the Am- 

 erican ship and the vessel does not carry so 

 large a scientific staff. The officers' quarters 

 are handsomely furnished; those of the Prince 

 being altogether luxurious. 



The scientific staff expressed special interest 

 in the marine exhibits at the Aquarium and 



