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THE NEW YORK AQUARIUM JOURNAL. 
NEW YORK, OCTOBER n, 1876. 
The Aquarium Journal will be published semi¬ 
monthly at the New York Aquarium, corner of 35 th 
Street and Broadway, New York City. 
Though intended for free distribution among the 
patrons of the Aquarium, the Journal will also be 
forwarded for one year, by mail , or delivered by 
carriers to any address on receipt of fifty cents, which 
sum is a mere nominal one, since it includes postal 
charge and expense of mailing and delivery. 
All communications should be addressed to New 
York Aquarium, cor tier 35 th Street & Broadivay. 
In our Salutation to the readers of The Aqua¬ 
rium Journal, we shall crave but a brief hearing 
while defining its proposed purpose and plan, 
directing them for information regarding the Aqua¬ 
rium itself to the letter of Mr. Coup, and the 
descriptive articles which appear elsewhere in these 
columns. 
I he Aquarium Journal, though published by 
the Managers of the New York Aquarium and 
designed for general distribution, will be so con¬ 
ducted as to commend it to the favor of those di¬ 
rectly interested in the study of Natural History. 
JJ Jilild'&JJtciujlialjHunber, extended space Jus 
been given to a history of the Aquarium, and a 
descriptive and illustrated account of its construc- 
t on and purpose, let it not be understood that 
the Journal is in any degree an advertising sheet 
or programme. In its columns will appear such 
original and, selected papers as relate to the his- 
tiry and^ habits of fish, together with such arti¬ 
cles and communications as are of allied in¬ 
terest. Though, as its name indicates, the lead- 
ing place will be devoted to the history, structure 
and habits of the numberless marine forms ex¬ 
hibited in the tanks of the aquarum, yet special 
attention will be given to general Natural History, 
Microscopy and kindred subjects. 
It is also designed that the Journal shall be a 
c mdensed Guide to the Aquarium itself. In 
order to accomplish this the last page will present 
a ground plan of the Aquarium, accompanied by 
an index to the tanks and their occupants. 
Believing that our youth are already inter¬ 
ested in Aquaria and anxious to learn more of 
what they teach, and more especially confident 
that parents will not neglect this opportunity of 
elucating their children, we shall devote a given 
space in each issue to the little ones, and en¬ 
deavor to so entertain and instruct them as to 
engage their lasting interest. It may be also 
pardonable to add, that since the Aquarium 
Journal is a free gift to the public, it would aid 
in the work we design to accomplish were our 
readers to occasionally manifest their interest and 
appreciation by the contribution of such facts and 
fancies as may prove of value to the cause for 
which we labor. 
In this age of special scientific inquiry with its 
accompanying flood of theories and conjectures, 
we are prompted to define our position by stating 
iha. while as exponents of Natural Science we shall 
endeavor to promote and extend the cause of de¬ 
monstrable truth, we cannot fail to recognize the 
fact that man feels as well as reasons. Hence 
while acknowledging the supremacy of Natural 
Law this acknowledgment shall ever be accom¬ 
panied by such reverence as is due to the one 
great Law-giver. 
A LETTER FROM MR. COUP. 
Mr. Editor—Dear Sir : 
In answer to your request I am prompted 
to give to the public through the columns of our 
journal a brief history of the New York Aquarium 
and my efforts in connection with its establish¬ 
ment. As the originator of the scheme, the suc¬ 
cessful accomplishment of which is now recog¬ 
nized, I may be pardoned if in the following brief 
sketch I give prominence to my own personal 
efforts and services. 
It was during a European tour made four years 
since, that my attention was first attracted and in¬ 
terest engaged by the number of great public 
aquaria there established, and so impressed was I 
with the value of these institutions as entertaining 
and instructive places of popular resort that I at 
once determined to secure the establishment of 
one in the American metropolis. Having thor¬ 
oughly examined the several foreign Aquaria and 
consulted with those interested in their mainte¬ 
nance, I hastened my return to America, severed 
my connection entirely with all other enterprises, 
and at once begs n m> endeavors to secure for 
the City of New York a grand fresh water and 
marine Aquarium. My first proposition was to 
construct one in the Central Park, defraying all 
the expense but claiming the privilege of retaining, 
for a given period, such profit as might be ob¬ 
tained from a small fee for admission ; but when 
compensated for the outlay, presenting the insti¬ 
tution to the city as a gift. Although admitting 
the great value and need of such an institution, 
the gentlemen of the Park Commission were not 
able to accept this proposition, owing to certain 
legal restraints forbidding the use of public 
grounds under these conditions. 
Having, however, become convinced of the 
importance of such an institution as an enter¬ 
taining and instructive place of popular resort, 
J finally determined to undertake alone the great 
work, to the successful accomplishment of which 
your attention is now directed. The large plot 
of ground at the corner of Thirty-fifth Street 
and Broadway was selected as affording a central 
site, and upon it the erection of a suitable build¬ 
ing w r as begun. At this time Chas. Reiche & 
Ero., the celebrated importers of rare and valua¬ 
ble animals, became associated with me, and it is 
under our joint direction and proprietorship that 
the work has been completed. The services of 
Prof. IT. D. Butler were also secured, who, 
in the position of Superintendent, brings to the 
aid of the enterprise a long and rare practical ex¬ 
perience ; and it was also in the interest of this 
institution that Mr. W. S.Ward made his recent 
European tour, the information gained by him 
having greatly aided in rendering the New'York 
Aquarium as attractive in appearance and com¬ 
plete in arrangement as any in the world. 
In addition to the services rendered by these 
gentlemen I have been so fortunate as to secure 
the active support and sympathy of Prof. Baird, 
of the United States Fish Commission, to whom 
X am indebted for valued advice and counsel, 
and who has kindly promised to aid me in the 
stocking and proper maintenance of the Aquar¬ 
ium. Mr. Fred. Mather, under whose direc¬ 
tion the fish hatching tanks have been constructed, 
will also bring to this interesting and novel 
feature a long and valued experience, I will not 
dwell on an extended description of the Aquarium 
itself, since that is given elesewhere, and as it is 
now open to the public it will make its own appeal. 
It is due, however, to myself and to those asso¬ 
ciated with me, that some reference be made to 
the difficulties attendant upon the successful com¬ 
pletion of so great an enterprise. 
Although possessed of all the attainable data 
regarding the Aquariums of Europe. I was yet 
constantly embarassed by unforseen obstacles 
which only repeated experiment and the lavish 
expenditure of money could remove. Many o 1 
these obstacles were of a nature which occasionec 
discouraging delays. Being the first great Amer¬ 
ican enterprise of this character, I was obliged 
to secure many of the needed materials and ap¬ 
pliances in Europe. From this distant quarter 
all the heavy jilate glass was obtained, and even 
the pumps are of European manufacture, and 
were specially ordered for this service. ' At this 
point I am compelled to admit, however, that 
had I not been wanting in both faith and know¬ 
ledge I might have procured a far bet'er and 
more serviceable pump nearer home. The pip¬ 
ing also, which is all of hard rubber, was de¬ 
signed and manufactured here for this special 
service, as was also all the iron work, which was 
made from designs furnished by our architect, 
Mr. A. B. Ogden. 
As there is presented elsewhere a detailed de¬ 
scription of the building and interior apartments, 
I shall refer simply to the endeavors 1 have made 
to secure a full and varied representation of marine 
life. These endeavors were also a tended by 
misfortunes and lailures winch, however, have 
atlas! been ofls'.'t by equal!*- marked- saeeessesr- 
Two whales obtained at great expense from the 
coast of Newfoundland by the efforts of a special 
expedition, reached the Aquarium at a time 
when, owing to the delays above mentioned, 
there was no fitting receptacle prepared for 
them, and hence they soon died. The same 
expedition was, however, again dispatched to 
the northern coast and as the result of months ot 
labor, has at la^st announced the capture of an¬ 
other of these sea monsters, which will soon be 
displayed in our grand central tank. 
While these efforts were being made at the 
North, another expedition has been sent to the 
Southern Seas, and a vessel to the Pacific 
Coast, while other experienced collectors are 
busy nearer home, as it is designed to furnish 
a full exhibit of the many and interesting 
varieties which abound in our northern waters. 
In closing, I take sincere pleasure in directing 
the attention of the public to a feature of the New 
York Aquarium which is specially designed to 
promote and encourage original scientific research 
and aid in the study of Natural History in all of 
its most important branches, This consists in 
the establishment of a Free Scientific Library and 
Reading Room, as an adjunct to the Aquarium, 
together with a Naturalist’s Workshop, fitted out 
with all the needed modern appliances, including 
microscopes, experimental tanks, dissecting tables, 
&c. This department is under the immediate 
charge of Mr. Ward, at whose suggestion it was 
established, and we propose to admit to the 
privileges of this scientific quarter any and all of 
those who, either as students or teachers, may 
desire to avail themselves of the advantages of 
study and research here afforded. 
'Trusting that I have not trespassed upon the 
patience of our readers, and in the hope that my 
earnest efforts in their behalf will be appreciated 
by the public, in whose interest they have been 
made, I remain, 
^Respectfully yours, 
W. C. COUP, 
Manager of the N. Y. Aquarium, 
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