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provided and at a merely nominal cost. The fishes of our coast 
are many ; and it would take much tank room in an aquarium to 
show them all. It would not be difficult, however, to exhibit the 
better kinds of fish of our coast; and those with which we are 
perfectly familiar are :—The Black Fish, the Chogset, various 
kinds of Bass, the Blue-Fish, the Dog-Fish, the Eel, the Flat- 
Fish, the Flounder, the Halibut, the Herring, several species of 
the Mackerel, the Menhaden, the Minnow, the Scup, the Salmon, 
Shad, Sheep’s head, Skip-jack, the Smelt, Tautog, and the 
Weak-Fish. Then the following native fish with which we are 
not quite so familiar:—The Bellows Fish, the Bill-Fish, the 
Black Pilot, the Red-tailed Bream, the Bull-head, the Carp, the 
Silvery Dace, the File-Fish of Mass, the Globe Fish, the Grunter, 
the King-Fish, the Plaice, the Rudder-Fish, the Sea-horse, the 
Shark of many kinds, Skate, Sturgeon, Sun-Fish. The Por¬ 
poise is very common ; small Whales are found outside ; Sword- 
Fish are plentiful; and in the winter, Seals inhabit our bay. 
It is not my present purpose to consider in detail how the 
aquarium is to be maintained. Whether or not it must be from 
the start self-supporting, is a matter which further consideration 
can more fittingly decide. Once started, it would seem that to 
maintain it by subscriptions need not be more than a slight tax. 
The details of the establishment of an aquarium are many and 
they ought not to be decided hastily, but however many, they are 
not beyond decision or formidable. As a business speculation, 
the aquaria of England and of the continent of Europe have 
proved successful, as is shown by the increase in their number. 
It may be held that the population of Newport is too small to 
meet the running expenses of an aquarium ; but the aquarium 
would not be dependent upon the resident population. It would 
have for support, principally the summer residents, and the day 
excursionists, the numbers of which it would greatly increase. 
It must be remembered that in all New England there is not a 
public aquarium. It would, consequently, be without a rival ; 
and as such, it would prove to be an attraction to the people in 
the outlying towns. It may be doubted that the project would 
pay dividends at present, but it cannot be doubted that the honor, 
the pleasure and the educational profit, would be great and lasting. 
