= my , DEVISION OF FIsue Pere ral) U. Se NATIONAL MUSEUM ‘*Books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in everything.” ILLUSTRATED PAPERS on the various questions arising in the care of an aquarium or the window garden. PRICE - FIVE FOR 25 CENTS EACH. ONE DOLLAR. HUGO MULERTT, (Tiember of the Imperial Russian Society of Acclimatization) Publisher, BROOKLYN -NEW YORK, CoPYRIGHT. Att RicHTs RESERVED. CopyrRiIGHT 1897. JANUARY. 130i, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE NEW YORK AQUARIUM OPENED. On December 10, 1896, the doors of the New York Aquarinm were opened and the public admitted to the lower or main floor of the building. The upper section, being not quite finished, remains closed for awhile yet. The opened section contains eighteen glass- front tanks for marine and as many for fresh-water specimens. The glass of these measures 4x5 feet in some and 4x7 feetin others. In some cases the parti- tion wall of two adjoining tanks has been removed and thus the tanks have been made more spacious. Their depth from the glass to the rear wall is about four feet. The glass, imported plate, one inch thick, is set against elastic rubber with waterproof cement. The three inside walls are faced with white glazed tiles. The tanks proper are constructed of brick laid in Portland cement. A more detailed description, also of the working apparatus behind the scenery, we must postpone to some future day. The tanks above mentioned are ar- ranged in acircle around the main hall, the so-called Rotunda. In this spacious portion of the building are seven ba- sins. One larger, round one and six others of kidney shape. These basins are built in cistern fashion, partly below the floor level, of brick ; they receive a constant supply of fresh sea- water from the bay and are intended for such animals that are best seen from above or the size of which making it impracticable of being displayed in plate-glass tanks. The accompanying illustration, which we reproduce with permission of the New York Morgen Journal, is a very good representation of the interior. The round basin, located in the cen- tre of the main floor, has a capacity of 50,000 gallons of water. This is a larger body of water than was used in the entire aquarium display at the Co- lumbian Exposition at Chicago. On the opening day the management of the Aquarium was able to display one hundred and twenty-five different forms of animal life, of which seventy- eight were fish. This is a remarkably good showing, for it has to be consid- ered that the winter is the worst possi- ble season for the opening of such an institution. In the fresh-water section nearly 82 THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 1897. every species of trout is already repre- sented by good specimens. All the animals were in good condition; we noticed only a few specimens that were affected with fungus, but these being new arrivals, will, under proper treat- ment, soon recover. The Aquarium proves already a great attraction to all classes. On the first Saturday, December 12th, between fif- B | Ze tn By Z KG < / Dr. TARLETON H. BEAN, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE N. Y. AQUARIUM. teen and sixteen thousand people vis- ited it during the six hours that it was opentothem. Fifteen policemen were constantly busy to keep order. At about 3 P. M. of that day we estimated the crowd before the tanks to number four thousand people. The Aquarium will be open to the public all the year round, from 10 A. M. till 4 P. M., six days in the week, including Sunday. Mondays it will be closed to the public, as it is necessary to have one day each week for the ex- clusive use of the management. The admission is free to everybody. The running expenses of an institu- tion of this kind, for which the city of New York has expended nearly half a million of dollars, is quite considerable. There is the superintendent with two assistants, a bookkeeper, three engi- neers, several laborers, porters, door- keepers, day and night watchmen and policemen. Besides the salaries for these there is the coal bill for the pumping engine and the heating of the huge building ; the regular supply of food for the animals, and last, but not least, the losses caused by the death of specimens. In our estimation, the expenses for running the New York Aquarium will be somewhere between $35,000 and $50,000 per annum. Now since the New York aquarium is opened before us, it will be interest- ing to our readers to learn something regarding its origin. At our arrival in New York City from Cincinnati shortly before Christ- mas, 1888, one of the first parties we called upon was one of the Fish Com- missioners of New York, with whom we had had dealings for years. The conversation drifted from our aquarium work in general to that of our fish dis- play at the Cincinnati Centennial Ex- position, from July 4th to November 10, 1888, of which reports had reached interested parties. At future meetings, at which aquarium talk formed the main topic, we arrived at the conclu- sion that the great metropolis lacked one great institution,—a public aqua- rium. At this period the Columbian Expo- sition project was cultivated, and New York City expected to have the great ‘‘Fair” within its borders. In con- nection with the display of the Fisher- ies Industries it was planned that the Fish Commissioners of the various States and also that of the United States should make a grand display of SS SS —— eS eg = = Se — Sane 777) maT . ¢ SYN piGZ > i : Y = , cy peel pA Van 4 _ = aa wie : = Cami y ast i 3 A = 2 “h NY Sa =e SS . ‘ : SS Wi) — —— = \ = ) = 4 . —== = { 5 . =——) Wy ——————————— er 84 THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 1897. live fish from every section of this con- tinent in an elaborate aquarium, which was to be built by the Exposition Com- mission at Central Park, where the great ‘“‘ Fair” was expected to be lo- cated. After the close of the fair, this aquarium was to remain as a memorial and was to be run on city or State ex- pense for the benefit of the public. As every one knows, the big fair was held in Chicago, and the oppor- tunity of getting a fine aquarium for New York comparatively easy, was lost. Our friend of the Fish Commis- ion now had a bill drawn up, providing for a public aquarium in the city of New York, and had it presented before the Legislature. Shortly after this the new Governor came into office, and he appointed a new Board of Fish Commissioners. The Legislature passed the aquarium bill, making an appropriation to the amount of $160,000 to begin the work. But instead of placing it under the control of the Fish Commission it was put in charge of the Board of Public Parks. This Board, not favoring the idea of having the aquarium in Central Park, located it in the old Castle Garden, which, being part of Battery Park, was under their control. This ancient structure was not used for anything at the time, the emigrant depot having been transferred to Ellis Island. Here the plans of inexperienced hands were carried out, and when the aquarium was to be opened, about two years ago, it was found that it had been built solely on theory and that a big part had to be reconstructed and changed in order to fit it for a practical purpose. Thisaccounts for the large sum of money spent in its construction and the space of time used until completed. The new Superintendent, under whose direction the aquarium was changed to its present state, will, in time, bring this institution to a re- spected standing, if not in line with the best aquariums in Europe. FRESH WATER FISH IN SALT WATER. It is well known that fresh water fish cannot live in salt water, and vice versa, and it has been supposed that the reason existed in some poisonous effect which the inappropriate water exerted. M. Paul Bert has investigated this subject, and his conclusion is that the death of the creature is not due to any toxic action, but is simply a phenome- non of osmosis or transmission of fluids through the membranes. In order to prove this it is only necessary to weigh the animal before and after the experi- ment. A frog, for example, plunged into sea water loses one third of its weight. If only the foot of the frog be introduced the blood globules can be seen to leave the vessels and distribute themselves under the skin. If an ani- mal be taken, the skin of which is not entirely osmotic, the same phenomena occurs in the bronchial system. There are certain fish, however, which exist sometimes in salt, sometimes in fresh water, changing their habitation in different periods of life or of the year. It, therefore, in view of the above, becomes interesting to see how M. Bert applies his discovery to such apparent exceptions tothe general rule. A fresh water salmon, for instance, plunged abruptly in sea water, resists the effects longer than other fresh water fishes; but he dies within five or six hours. This shows, according to M. Bert, that the fish never proceed sud- denly from fresh to salt water, but en- THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 1897. 85 ter brackish water, where the tide ebbs and flows, and live there a_ sufficient time to habituate themselves to the change. This accounts for the frequent discovery of large numbers of such migratory fish in the vicinity of the mouths of the rivers which they ascend. A fresh water eel, plunged in salt water, does not seem to be affected. But in investigating the peculiarities of this species, M. Bert was led into a wrong conclusion, which may be cited to show how easy it is, often by pure accident, to reach an erroneous deter- mination in laboratory experimenting. After having himself placed several fresh water eels in salt water, he found, as already stated, that they remained alive and unharmed. Wishing to con- tinue the experiments, he directed his assistant to introduce the fish and re- port results. To his surprise, the eels then persistently died after a three or four hours’ sojourn in salt water, and long search failed to discover the reason why it was that, when M. Bert placed them in the tanks they lived, while when his assistant did so, they perished. Finally M. Bert found that his assistant, doubtless on account of the slipperiness of the eels, lifted them with a piece of cloth in his hand. The cloth rubbed off a little of the natural slime of the animal, which protected them from salt water. Osmosis then occurred in the denuded portion, and the eel eventually died. The converse experiment of inserting sea fish in fresh water, produced analo- gous results. The gills were the seat of alterations, the same as those noted in fresh water fish placed in salt water. M. Bert also observed that the life of the sea fish could be prolonged by add- ing salt to the fresh water, thus adding further confirmation to his theory. (eH, FEARING. OF CAS For an inquiry whether fishes have a sense of hearing, Herr A. Kreidt exper- imented upon goldfish—normal, fish poisoned with strychnine, and fish de- prived of their labyrinths. Sounds were made by sonorous rods plunged in the aquarium, to which tuning forks or bows were applied out of the water. Whistling and the ringing of bells out- side of the water produced no impres- sion on either of the three classes ex- perimented upon. But all responded whenever the apparatus within the aquarium was struck with the produc- tion of an audible sound, The conclu- sion was drawn that fish do not hear as in ordinary hearing with the ears, but that they are sensitive to sonorous waves which they can perceive through some skin-sense.”’ Respecting the above extract, I may state that after a period of over thirty years’ observations on fish of almost all kinds, in my private aquarium, I long ago came to the conclusion that fish have no perceptible hearing, in the or- dinary sense of that term. The loud- est noises made in the room in which the aquarium stood, failed to excite them in any way. They would remain suspended in mid-aquarium, or swim- ming around without the slightest re- gard to the noises, or being in any way disturbed thereat. But the slightest shock to the stand on which the aguarium was placed, or the slamming of a door, or any motion by which the aquarium itself would be disturbed, had the effect of creating a fish panic. The conclusion | arrived at is that vi- bration acts on an aquarium’s occu- pants in the same way as sudden noise acts on other animals, and that it is through the sense of shock or vibration 86 THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 1897. that they take fright, and not from any auscultatory sensation. I remember as a boy, watching a shoal of roach and * dace ina fish-pond in England, when _ suddenly a vivid flash of lightning occurred. It had no visible effect on the fish, but as soon as the thunder came, which fairly made the earth vibrate, they one and all suddenly dived out of sight, not from hearing it, but from the vibration, for I had fired a gun just previously at some water- fowl, without its having any effect on the fish. Perhaps some of our fish an- atomists may be able to contribute their ideas on the point, and to account for the peculiar white stony substance that exists in the head of the haddock, which has been attributed to the ear of those fish. H. B. SMALL. Ottawa, Canada. Aquarium IN A Window, wITH AN Exposure To THE NorTH. THE ACCOMPANYING PLANTS ARE: CURCULIGO RECURVATA AT THE RIGHT, AND RHAPIS FLABELLIFORMIS at THe LEFT OF TH E PICTURE. THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 1897. 87 THE PROPER POSITION FOR AN AQUARIUM. When establishing an aquarium for the instruction or recreation of the family circle, one of the principal ques- tions to be considered is, in many cases, that of the expense connected with it. “‘We would like to have an aquarium at home very much, but we cannot i afford it.’ This expression we hear very frequently, and really there is no reason for it. An aquarium is as inex- pensive an enjoyment as is a little flower bed in one’s back-yard. The main point one has to consider when about to start one, is the location, or still stronger expressed, the light, one is able to supply for it. ‘The tem- GoA 4 Aquarium NEAR a Winpow, WITH AN EXPOSURE TO THE SOUTH OR WEST. 88 THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 1897. A x — At least once every week you should wipe the inside glass of your tank with the wiper or a flat sponge tied to the end of a flat stick. This precaution properly attended to in the early spring will prevent much annoyance later on. >_> The best of all-glass tanks, although they are ‘‘ made in Germany,” are not as desirable for an aquarium as are the rectangular metal-frame tanks with select sheet or plate glass. The all- glass tanks sold in the American mar- ket for aquarium purposes, not having been designed for this purpose, are sel- dom of entirely clear glass, or without defects of some kind. Entirely fault- less tanks are made with polished sides; _these are intended for scientific pur- poses and come very high. JANUARY, 1897. The greatest advantage claimed by some people for these tanks is their being made in one piece, which pre- vents leaks. Soit does. But a well- made metal-frame aquarium never leaks, so then, where is the advantage ? If one of these all-glass tanks is in- jured by accident, the entire tank is gone, while when one glass is injured in a frame tank, the injured part only is lost, and this is easily replaced at small expense. So we see that the condition which is claimed as their greatest advantage, is really their weakness. It requires money to publish a paper and the circulation of a paper, of the nature of the AQUARIUM, is limited. You should, therefore, assist the pub- lisher as much as you can by securing new subscribers and by renewing your own promptly. ee ge ene Copies on stiff paper of the compara- tive thermometer scale and comparative inch and centimetre measure, printed on another page, may be had on applica- tion for a two cent stamp. ep THE AQUARIUM assists you to in- struct your children, helps to entertain your friends and supplies to yourself many hours of wholesome recreation. For all this you should be willing to pay as cheerfully as you do fora lecture, concert or theatre ticket, which is com- paratively much more expensive. oO We are in receipt of many com- munications, especially postal cards, the signatures of which we are unable to make out. Want of attention towards your communication may be traced to this cause. You should sign your name and address plainly. THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 1897. 95 DRYING PLANTS. Most people have had to regret that spec- imens of plants and flowers which they find in the woods and fields, and carry home to preserve, in most cases lose their color and beauty in the process. A Vienna journal says: ‘* We are in- formed that this inconvenience may be overcome by dipping the plants in a warm mixture of one part hydrochloric acid and six hundred parts alcohol, shaking them to get rid of superfiuous fluid, and then lay- ing them in warm blotting paper, which ought to be changed at least once daily. By this means the plants will not only dry quickly, but will also retain their natural color.” gs ONE OF OvuR CustToMERS who was tray- eling in Europe last summer, brought with him on his return some rare treasures for his aquarium. We supplied the tanks in which they are now kept, and the aquatic plants for these, in which lines, he says, we excel any firm in Europe. The collection which he brought along consists of : Climbing Perch (Anabas scan- dens), Gouramis, a new species of Paradise fish, all native of East India; Siamese Fighting fish, beautiful specimens of Chi- nese Fringetail Telescope goldfish, several species of Japanese and German goldfish, Brazilian Zebrafish, Mailed and Striped Catfishes from South America. As will be noticed, nearly all are exotic fish, for which this gentleman expended nearly two thousand dollars. To Propuck NamMsEs on SHELLS.—The Chinese force the pearl mussels (Anodonta plicata) of their rivers to produce pearls to order (See article Pearl Culture in last is- sue of the Aquarium). They also intro- duce small fiat figures, representing Bud- dha, between the shells of these mollusks which these animals press against the in- side walls of their shells where they be- come soon coated with pearl. Shells con- taining such pictures of Buddha are highly prized among the Chinese. The Superintendent of the Hamburg (Germany) Aquarium, having heard of this fact, has experimented in this direc- tion with the triton shell (77iton nodiferus) of the Mediterranean Sea. He cut out of thinly rolled white metal (tinfoil) names and monograms, and pasted these with wax upon the inside of the shell upon a spot which had been wiped dry for the purpose, and as deep inside as the presence of the animal would admit. When after several months these animals had died, the letter- ing was found completely covered with shell material standing out quite distinctly in relief upon the same spot upon which it had been pasted. Honouvuu, THE Caprrat of the Sandwich Islands, is to have an aquarium. Mr. C. R. Bishop of that city has donated to the managers of the Honolulu Museum, of which he is also the founder, the sum of three-quarters of a million dollars ($750,- 000) for the construction of a public aqua- rium, to which a biological marine station shall be attached. Prof. Brigham, who has made a study of the aquariums in Europe, is now making the plans for same. Natu- ralists and instructors will be induced to come there, and biological students are expected from America and Europe. A SEED MERCHANT OF DanziG, GERMANY, had been charged with selling unreliable, stale seeds. He was promptly arrested. He must have felt guilty, and fearing the consequences while awaiting his trial, he committed suicide in his cell by hanging. > THE MAN OWNING the greatest number of dogs in the world is apparently Mr. Gus- tav Ivanovitch, a ‘** Russian cattle king.” To herd his one million and a half of sheep he requires the services of thirty-five thou- sand shepherd dogs. =—— LitttneE JoHNNy—Papa, why are fish dumb? Papa—Foolish boy; can you speak when under water. 96 THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 1897. For the small sum of one dollar in ad- vance, which pays for a year’s subscription to THe Aquarium, you are entitled to ask information on any point regarding the aquarium or the window garden. We offer no other premium to our subscribers than that of putting over 25 years of practical ex- perience in these branches at their disposal. Ask as many questions as you please, but please to enclose postage for reply. All questions are answered by mail, and we publish only such in these columns as are of general interest. Rev. W. K.—Wood is not the proper ma- terial to use in the construction of an aqua- rium tank; metal is every time the cheap- est, neatest and safest. A one and one-half pound box of our waterproof cement will re-set all the glass of your tank, which, you write, measures 73x14x8 inches high. Directions for using the cement are on the label. After having the glass re-set, fill the in- side corners of the tank with cement, and in this imbed carefully narrow strips of glass, sufficient in width, say one-half or three-quarters of an inch, to touch the glass on both sides. Do this work in a warm room to avoid that the oil, used in mixing the cement, will become thick from the cold. If this treatment does not stop the leak of your tank, nothing else will, and you had better get a new frame made to fit your glass, using metal this time and fol- lowing our directions to the minutest de- tail, as given for the construction of an aquarium tank on pp. 106-108, Vol. IIT. (April, 94) of Tor AQuaRIUM. A. E. §.--The large Two-spined Stickle- backs (Gasterosteus noveboracensis), which is the most reliable nest-building species for an in-door aquarium, are in season from the end of February until April. Under ordi- nary circumstances they will not live in fresh water all the year round, the water becoming too warm for them. Twice we succeeded to keep some as late as the month of August, but the sultry, uncom- fortable weather, characteristic of that month in our location, killed them. Miss N. —It is very likely that the stomachs of your telescope fish had been disarranged by improper feeding. The one yet alive seems to indicate by his action that your aquarium is not suffi- ciently supplied with oxygen for him ; he is perhaps a larger fish than your others. In that case you should regularly and care- fully remove all the sediment from the bot- tom of your tank by aid of a siphon, and also add a good pinch of table salt to the water. Our climate is not exactly unfavorable for imported Japanese fish, but allimported stock has to get used to it by degrees. It is a fact that the majority of them die be- fore a yearisup. The best goldfish for an aquarium are those that have been bred in this country from imported stock. Mrs. L. K.—It is not absolutely neces- sary to have a sunny window to be success- ful in growing house plants. A northern window is very good for a great many kinds of plants, but it is absolutely necessary that the plants are so placed that they can see the sky. If this viewisinterfered with by a porch, or some other kind of an exten- sion over or before the window, window gardening will not prove a success. Mr. F. W.—-Yes, direct sunlight is good for the development of fishes and plants, and we recommend it when the aim is to breed or raise fish, but in an aquarium we simply wish to keep the inmates in a healthy condition for display or study. These two purposes have a parallel in a propagating house and a conservatory. Each of these is intended for an entirely different purpose and is run on entirely different principles.