New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-18
PHOTOGR4PHING ! FISH.
II Difficult Task accomplished IN a
Roof Studio.

One of the most interesting portrait galleries
In New-York, and one not generally known, is
the roof garden studio of the big Aquarium at
the Battery. Here on bright days certain OF the
fish the most characteristic and representative
Of their respective species, ar brought out from
their exhibition quarters and photographed A
specially devised narrow glass tank, with IN
usually transparent surface and pebbly bot
tom is used for holding the fish during the pict-
uTe making time
This novel fish studio is in charge OF the for
rner s1Iperintendent L. B. Spencer, who now con-
ducts the nature study department in the lapo-
ratory, which was visited last year by 2,62o
persons including students. The desired nsh
are brought TO the roof from the exhibition hall
in large buckets filled with salt or fresh water.
as is natural TO the specimen. By the aid OF
q scoop net Mr. Fish is gently dumped into the
waiting glass case Here his movements are
watched, and when a favorable attitude Is
struck. such as a free swimming one, with
whole body outlined, the exposure is made
Quick plates a rapid lens coupled with an eX-
trcrneIy short exposure, ranging from one one
b1,ndredth to one five-hundredth part of sec
ond are necessary to produce a fair image
Many negatives are taken before satisfactory
ones are obtained. Some of the large and snowy
fish such as the carp. fourteen inches long,
owing to their slow swimming gait, are com
paratiyely easy subjects to portray.
OF all the colony of queer boarders In the
Aquarium, probably the little sea horses are
most popular with visitors. Reproductions of
these for pictorial books and for slides used
In school work are in great demand MI SDen-
Ger has tried on a number of occasions to catch
these fantastic creatures, but their frisky mood
in nearly ali instances, has baffled his securing
good and distinct facsimiles, the ones here re-
produced being among the most striking so far
obtained.
The sea horse is probably the only fish which
has q prehensile tail which it uses in monkey
like fashion for anchOring itself to weeds stones
and sticks When captured in this region by
fishermen they usually found clinging TO
the meshes Of the nets with the tail. even when
they are hauled in from the water The body of
fine sea horse is incased in bOny shell in seq
rnents. Their swimming movements are per
formed chiefly by rapid undulations of the dor
sal fin, and the position OF the body is usually
vertical while in motion and shows off to ad
vantage the horselike appearance of the head
4 wear is about the average time they can be
kept
The food supply for these creatures is an
irnportant problem 1t has been found that
they can be kept in good condition only when
they are well supplied with gammarus, a mi
mute crustacean, secured by gathering punches
of the fine sea moss which they inhablL Wheh
this is dropped into the tanks the horses
are usually seen the bottom picking this
minute life from the weeds In feeding the
month is brought near the small crustacean. for
which it constantly searches, and is suddenly
opened The cheeks being inflated at the same
time with the thrush Of water
Frequently. to create dash and spirit IN the
sea horses. killies two inches or more in length
are fed TO them a pint Of these tiny creatures