Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-07-14
DINNER Time AT
A GREAT AQUARIUM
Over 1000 Submarine Cap
tiyes in the New York
Institution.
REPRESENTS 2l3 SPECIES
Nearly 5000 People Are on Hand
Daily to Watch the Feeding
Of This Enormous
Collection.

Collection.
ST. Louis Republic: The New YORK
Aquarium just now is one or the CITY ;
most, popular and interesting sho"
places. over 1000 submarine captlVes,
representing 213 different specles Oh
various sizes, strange and
I'm shape and brilliant in colortng, dis
MOTT themselves in the 100 wall tanks
| and spacious floor pools, forming a
ne~yer-changing panorama OF deep-sea
, life. the largest to be seen anywhere IN
the world.
Nearly 4.454 daily, or, in round num-
bers, 1926 40 persons the last year,
passed through its doors 10 study anu
view these live wonders of nature. Inc
attendance is probably not equaled by
any other institution in the world. Inc
present director, Mr.. G. II.
| has carried on important scientific re-
searches for the government, especially
in the fishing and fur sealing INDUS
tries. He is recognized as the Leading
authority on these and kindred SUD
jects relating 10 marine life.
Two years ago the aquarium was
turned over to the management or the
New York geological society. Many
innovations have been introduced,
which now afford the most palatial and
up-to-date home for exhibiting hsheS
I'm 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. All
of the food is first class, and is kept
fresh and cold in a large ice chest, ana
when ready for use is placed in var
Ious tin r~eceptacles. Several attend
| ants devote the best part of the after
noon to serving out the ratlonS.
The food is varied to suit the size of
the specimen, and consists OF beer
(sliced. chopped or minced), liver, fish
(cod and herring MOSTLY and clans.
All the fish in the markets are headed
and eviscerated before us. The cod and
herring are halved, the backbone deftly
removed with N sweep of the knife.
The rest of the flesh is cut into strips
Of different lengths. In summer II
great deal of live food, such as min
nows, marine angle worms small crabs
and c~rustaceans, such as sand hoppers,
Is used, being better for the collection
in general. In winter marketable food
stuffs are largely consumed. a special
collector is kept busy the year round
foraging in adjacent bays and ocean
shores to keep the fishes larder well
stocked. The average board bill for
the aquarium's guests for a month is
500.
Some New Arrivals.
Among the chief specimens of the
aquarium at present. from its size as
well as from the fact that it is almost
new to the general eye, is the curious
sea COW, or manatee, from Lake WORTH
Fla, probably the only one in
| 40 nfiNrity Tho nnfp1als .. in thniY
Wild habitat are very shy and
cautious, disappearing Immediately
upon approach. Owing to their pecu-
liar tropical habits, they are given spe-
Cial treatment and care, such as a suit
able warm temperature, between 70
and ~ degrees, for the water of their
pool and a sufficient quantity of nour-
ishing food Eel grass and lettuce
leaves strongly tempt their appetite
The former, however, is used in more
abundance when obtainable; a bucket
full is usually given for a meal.
The n is a female, eight and
one-half feet long, weighing 500
pounds, and was captured by "Alliga-
tor Joe" at Palm Beach in a large drag
seine of extra strong manila hemp,
made for the purpose. Numerous at
tempts We're made at different times
for a month, and seven manatees
escaped and broke through the net be-
fore n was finally obtained. The fe-
male was placed about June of the last
year in a tile-lined pool, twenty feet
long by thirteen feet wide. with .
depth of -four feet of water. The latter
is renewed nightly.
The feeding-of the animal is watched
with unusual interest by the visitors
Mr.. w. De Nyse, with a suspended
handful of eel grass, can coax the
manatee to raise her head and neck
completely out of the water.
Seacows nave a peculiar structure
having no front teeth, hin limbs or
hip bones, but a huge beaverlike tail
Their are said to be the heaviest
known among mammals. The best
view of the creature is obtained wher
the water is drained from the pool for
tank cleaning, when the whole form is
strikingly outlined against the white
tiling. The home of the seacow in the
United States is limited to the In0iar
River lagoons of the east coast OF Flor
ida. Other species are found in various
tropical regions. In captivity they live
seldom longer than five or six months
hut the present specimen has survived
min months.
The care and express transportation
on such a large individual is consider
able, and almost equals its sale value
A huge tank was constructed and filleo
WllH just enough water TO noat the
massive body.
The seahorse is probably the only
fish with a prehensile tail. He uses this
in a monkeylike fashion, constantly
anchoring himself to weeds, stones and
sticks. The position of the body is
usually vertical, especially in SWIM
ming. They are found all along the
American coast, from Cape % tc
South Carolina. There is, however, one
remarkable feature about them, little
known generally. Contrary to the rest
OF the animal world, the eggs whifa
Matching are carried by the male in a
pouch. and the young are said to re-
turn to this for shelter. Hundreds
probably thousands, OF baby indi-
viduals are thus transported around by
the paternal member of the family in
his strange incubating pocket. while
Mrs. Seahorse, released of care, roams
fancy free.
The clever maneuvers of the two
! little harbor seals from the Maine
roast, come in for a great share of the
popular interest. One of these was
shown at the Worlds Fair at ST. Louis.
: They are hearty eaters. and devour
strips OF eed and herring for their
luncheon. These are usually thrown
into the pool, but are oftentimes, when