10 
the Trustees of the proposed Columbian Museum, and, second, 
to the South Park Commissioners of Chicago, under such con- 
ditions only as would secure the maintenance of the establish- 
ment and its development as a popular aquarium and a station 
for scientific research. This offer I made to the trustees of the 
museum October 12, and more fully October 23, in the following 
letter addressed to the Secretary of the Board. 
« * * «T beg to add to the representations of my letter of 
October 12 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 else- 
where. 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 aquarium 
exhibit will be substantially secured. 
‘‘It is of course to be presumed and understood that if these 
collections are accepted, it will be with the wish and intention 
of maintaining 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 Labora- 
tory of Natural History for distribution to the public high schools 
and State educational institutions, according to the law defining 
the duties of the Laboratory. 
‘“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 biological station, in fact—with the 
expectation 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 should be at all times under 
the general supervision of an experienced scientific biologist, 
capable of rightly shaping its general policy, and competent by 
training and ability to utilize for the advancement of science the 
abundant. opportunities for observation and experiment which 
such an establishment must afford. 
a et al SE a 
