The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-07-14
DINNER time AT
A GREAT AQUARIUM
Over 1000 Submarine Cap
tives in the New York
Institution.
REPRESENTS 2l3 SPECIES
Nearly 5000 People Are on Hand
Daily to Watch tho Feeding
of This Enormous
Collection.

of This Enormous
Collection.
ST. Louis Republic: The New York
Aquarium just now is one OF the Guy
most popula, and interesting snow
places. over 1000 submarine captiNeS,
repreuenting 2l3 different species OF
various sizes. strange and
In shape and brilliant in colorlng, ois-
post themselves in the 100 wall tanks
ana spacious floor pools, forming Il
never-changing panorama OF deep-sea
, life. the largest TO be seen anywhere i'll
the world.
Nearly 4,454 daily. or. in round num-
bcrs. l.625,7To persons the last year,
passed through its doors TO study ana
view these live wonders OF nature. lhe
attendance is probably not equaled by
amy other institution in the world. Inc
present director. Mr.. c. IL. Townsend,
has carried on important scientific re
searches for the government. especially
in the fishing and fur sealing INDUS
tries. He is recognized as the leadlnS
authority on these and kindred sub
jects relating to marine lie.
Two years ago the aquarium Was
turned over to the management OF the
New York Geological society. Many
innovations have been l~n'l9a"gea;
which now afford the most p%alatial and
up-to-date home for exhibiting fishes
~
In existence.
one of the busiest places in the
aquarium which is not generally seen
by visitors is the fishes kitchen. Here.
from morning until the middle OF the
afternoon the steward is kept hard at
work preparing the daily menu for the
vast crowd of piscatorial boarders. MI
Of the food is first class, and is kept
fresh and cold in a large ice chest. and
when ready for use is placed in var
t,,,. ~, ,.,,apf1rlaS Several attend
ants devote the best part of the after
/ noon To serving out the rauonS.
The food is varied to suit the size OF
the specimen. and consists OF Deel
tsliced. chopped or minced), llver. 1ish
tcod and herring mostly) and CLAIMS.
I An the fish in the markets are headed
!, and eyiscerated before us. The cod and
} herring are halNed. the ckbon deftlY
removed With one sweep OF the KNIFE.
The rest of the flesh is cut into strips
: 81 different lengths. In summer u
, great deal of live food, such as min
: nows, marine angle worms, small crabs
/, and crustaceanS, such as sand hoppers,
y Is used, being better for the collection
a in general. In winter marketable food
stuffs are largely consumed. a special
collector is kept busy the year round
= toraging in adjacent bays and ocean
= shores TO keep the fishes harder Well
= stocked. The average board bill for
the aquarium's guests for d month Is
). 500.
Some New Arrivals.
Among the chief specimens of the
o aquarium at present, from its size as
well as from the fact that it is almost
y new to the general eye. is the curious
n sea COW, or manatee. from Lake Worth,
y Fla. probably the only one IN
" captivity. The animals i'm their
wild habitat are Very Shy and
. cautious. disappearing Immediately
u. uLor approach. Owing to their pecu'
liar tropical habits, they are given spe'
re cial treatment and care, such as a uii-
10 able warm temperature. between a.
2 and % degrees, for the water of thei1
y pool and a sufficient quantity OF nour'
10 fishing food. Eel grass and lettuce
leaves strongly tempt their appetite
is abundance when obtainahlc; a bucket
st full is usually given for a meal.
The manatee is a female, eight an'
Id one-half feet long. weighing go
or pounds. and was captured by "AlliS:,
OF tor Joe" at Palm Beach in a large dra;
seine of extra strong manila hemI
go made for the purpose. Numerous AT
en- fempts We're made at different time
H. for a month. and seven mana'ee
at escaped and broke through the net be
m fore one was finally obtained. Thc fe
err male was placed about June of the las
fe. year in Il tile-lined pool. twenty fee
nd long by thirteen feet vice with
depth Of four feet of water. The latte
Ter is renewed nightly.
h feeding of the animal is watche
with unusual interest by the visitor
10: Mr.. w. De Nyse. with a suspende
MT handful of eel grass, can coax III
ire manatee to raise her head and nee
completely out of the water.
Seacows have a peculiar structui
having no front teeth, hind limbs {
hip bones. but a huge bcaverlike ia
Their bones are said to be the heavie
Snown among mammals. The be
view of the creature is obtained wh'
The water is drained from the pool f
tank cleaning. when the whole form
strikingly outlined against the Viii
filing. Thu home of the seacow i'll II
United States is limited TO the 1nni;
River lagoons of the east coast of Flo
ida. Other species are found in warrior
tropical regions. In captivity they II
seldom longer than five or six month
but the present specimen has surNiNl
nine months.
The care and express transport;tti'
on such a large individual is conside
n able. and almost equals its sale Nai,
A huge tank was constructed and fill
with just enough water TO iloa, I
massive body.
The seahorse is probably the or
lish with a prehensile tail. He uses IL
in a monkeylike fashion, constan,
sticks. The position of the body
usually vertical, especially in swil
ming. They are found all along t
American coast, from Cape Coo
South Carolina. There is, however, o
remarkable feature about them. lit
known generally. Contrary to the IT
of the animal world, the eggs VIII
Matching are carried by the male in
pouch, and the young are said to
turn to this for shelter. Hundre
probably thousands, of baby iii
viduals are thus transported rot
the paternal member of the family
reen his strange in%cubating pocket. VIII
Mrs. Seahorse, released of care, roa
fancy free.
The clever mareuvers Of the t
,.a. little harbor seals from the Ma
We roast como in fnl. q nrnat Share of