In this period of ten years about twice as many people entered the building as during the thirty-five years that it was used as a landing place. As an educational medium it is of the greatest value to the community. Situated as it is in the spot where the greatest amount of pure air is to be had, it is also a place of recreation. The exhibits include fishes, turtles, crocodilians, frogs, salamanders, marine mammals and invertebrates, and are both northern and tropical in character. There are usually about 200 species of fishes and other aquatic vertebrates on exhibition. The total number of specimens, exclusive of invertebrates and young fry in the hatchery, varies from 3,000 to 4,000. Many individuals in the collection of fishes and turtles have lived in the building from five to ten years. The fish hatchery, maintained as a fish-cultural exhibit, produces yearly about 2,000,000 of young food and game fishes, which are afterward deposited in New York State waters. Fish eggs are supplied by the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries from government hatcheries. Most of the local fresh-water and saltwater species are collected by the employees. Tropical fishes are brought by steamer from the Bermuda Islands. There is a laboratory containing many kinds of small marine invertebrates, which is visited by 4,000 or 5,000 school children, with their teachers, during the year. One member of the Aquarium staff assists the city school teachers in maintaining small aquaria in 150 or more schools in Greater New York. Small marine forms of life are supplied free to teachers from the reserve tanks of the Aquarium. The laboratory is used at times by university professors in the city for marine biological investigations. It is equipped for photographic work on aquatic life. The library attached to the Director's office contains at present about 600 volumes, and is limited to works relating to fishes, fish culture, fishery industries, angling and aquatic life in general. The Aquarium publishes annual reports and occasional bulletins, which are issued as publications of the New York Zoological Society. The first volume of a proposed New York Aquarium Nature Series has already appeared, under the title of "Sea-Shore Life," a popular account of the invertebrates of the adjacent coast region. Other volumes are in course of preparation. There are, exclusive of the Director and clerk, twenty-five employees whose duty is to attend to the supply and temperature of the different water systems, feed and care for the collections, clean the building and tanks and look after visitors. The Director is Mr. Charles H. Townsend, formerly Chief of the Division of Fisheries in the United States Fish Commission, and under his able administration many important changes have been made, new features introduced, the collations greatly increased and the entire institution made much more accessible to the student and the teacher. UNVEILING AT HALL OF FAME. On May 30, 1907, the Society was represented at the second unveiling of tablets in the Hall of Fame at New York University by the President, who was requested to act as official Chronicler of the proceedings. A complete report of the ceremonies will be found at page 115. CENTENNIAL AT GARIBALDI'S HOME, STATEN ISLAND. On July 4, 1907, the Society was represented by Mr. Ira K. Morris at the celebration of the one-hundredth anniversary of Gen. Joseph Garibaldi, which took place at the house at Clifton, Staten Island, in which Garibaldi and his compatriot, Antonio Meucci, lived at one time. About 25,000 persons were present, including delegations from the Grand and subordinate Lodges of Free Masons, and other organizations. A large number of them were Italians. The speakers were Edward M. S. Ehlers, Secretary of the Grand Lodge; Hon. George Cromwell, President of the borough of Richmond; Count F. Hassiglia, Italian Consul, and Dr. Ernst Richard of Columbia University. The ceremonies were under the auspices of the Garibaldi Society of Staten Island, assisted by officials and members of the various organizations present. THE COOPERSTOWN CENTENNIAL. During the week beginning Sunday, August 4, 1907, the village of Cooperstown, Otsego county, N. Y., celebrated the one-hundredth anniversary of its incorporation as a village. The American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society was represented in the proceedings by the Right Rev. H. C. Potter, D. D., a member, and Mr. Francis Whiting Halsey, a Trustee. The village is named after the American novelist, J. Fenimore Cooper, and the significance of the celebration, to quote Bishop Potter's words, consisted "largely in the fact that this village is associated with the reputation of that great man of letters who has lent to this region so pre-eminent an interest by his 'Leatherstocking Tales' and other works dealing with the traditions of this neighborhood." Main street, from the village library and the Alfred Corning Clark Gymnasium, both gifts of Mrs. Henry C. Potter and her sons, down to the Fenimore Hotel, was a fluttering mass of color. Sunday, the 4th, was devoted to commemorative exercises in the churches, sermons or addresses being delivered by Bishop Potter, the Rev. Ralph Birdsall, Rev. T. B. Roberts, Rev. Cyrus W. Negus, Rev. E. A. Perry, Rev. Dr. Schane, Rev. Sidney S. Conger, Rev. Dr. Wallace of Utica, Rev. Edward A. Perry and Hon. Charles A. Francis, president of the village. Bishop Potter's address on "The Religious Outlook of the Future" was delivered in the churchyard of the historic Christ Church, where the dust of Cooper and many of his family lies. |