Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-02-17
Says Modern Science Is
Catching Up With Jonah

"Of all popular curious quirkS or
popular interest engendered by war
perhaps the most surprising Is the un-
precendented interest in-fish" says
a bulletin of the National Geographic
Society.
yet there are two reasons why the
humble and hitherto submerged fish
should suddenly command attention.
explains the bulletin, for meat and
grain which are not to 70 had Is it to
be wondered at that men should give
thought to fish, which are to be had
for the catching? Furthermore. the
submarine has given mon access to
the oceans depths. and henceforth
the oceans content, as well as water
routes, will command the interest or
mankind.
early manifestations of this inter-
est Is to be noted in the founding or
the Miami Aquarium Association, at
Miami, Florida, which soon is to open
a remarkable aquarium which has a
two-fold purpose. One aim is to place
on exhibition the marve' Gus variety
of fish to be found in the hospitabls
waters of the Gulf Stream, which
contain one-fourth of the entire ami
NAL life of the American continent
north of Panama. For there are 500
varieties of fish to be found off the
Florida coast.
did you know that the a%quariums
at every one Of the American EXPOSE
tions-from the Chicago Worlds Fair
to the San Francisco show-attraCted
more visitors than any other exhibit?
Likewise. hat in cities where import
ant aquariums now are located there
are more visitors attracted to them
thar to geological gardens or art
museums?
lone asks why? One might as
well ask Why is a fish story?' The
maligned and neglected fish, smile
for the mar who lacks red blooded
traits. nevertheless holds a pre-eml-
nence In animal lore that is equalled
only by the love story in human
chronicle. And now comes q best
seller. Mare Nostrum' In which the
aquarium scene bids fair to have q
literary Immortality akin to the octo-
pus struggle In Hugo's "Toilers of the
Sea-
I'm the explanation of this phenom-
enon lies the scientific interest in fish.
Recent discoveries indicate. h a the
ocean depths hold many more varie-
ties of fish than ever were caught;
and our knowledge Of the kind thai
are caught and commonly eaten Is
meager.
"One government bureau can tell
you approximately how many cattle
will be ready for killing next year;
and another canestimate how man
buffalo and elk the western
plains. But who can ven guess at
the herring off our shores, or what
ia the annual rate Of their catching
to their Matching. or how soon the
supply will be depleted. or very much
about the life, habitats. and diseases
Of a herring?
"And yet all this information about
herring, mackeret salmon. trout, hal
ibut and scores of other edible varie-
ties of fish nay be OF tremendous i'm
portance in the q c of a dwindlinS
dry land food production.
Hence the Miami Aquarium build
ing, soon to be opened, which will be
the only one of any size along the
Atlantic seaboard. south of Philadel-
phia, viii have a biological laboratory
as one of it's important adjuncts. II
Is believed many important discover
les affecting the link between the
fauna of the deep sea and the land
will be given the world through In
designations at the laboratory. Aqua
rum expeditions for the collection OF
specimens will be an important feat
ure of the associations work.
James Asbury Allison, Of Indian
apolis, president of the Miami Aqua
rum Association soon will announce
plans for the formal opening of the
kAludIlulll ObiAliAlS - hHC pAOASS'S~
laboratory. The association has beer
chartered under the State of Florida
| It's functions are educational, and
| entirely altruistic. The technical di-
rector of the institution, Louis L
Mowbray, has made a worldwide
study of Aquarium buildings, prepar.
atory to Introducing the latest ant
most complete apparatus for the care
and propagation of fish life.
; HDfbar officers of the Association
are: Carl C. Fisher, of Indianapolis
we'll known Ash expert, vice president
and the secretary and treasurer l!
John Oliver LaGorce. associate editor
of the National Geographic Magazine
ION the advisory committee Of tn
Association are DR.. Hugh NJ. Smith
U. S. Commissioners of Fisheries
DIR. Charles Haskins Townsend. direc'
tor of he New York AQUARIUM; DR.
Alexander Graham Bell. inventor Of
the telephone: Gilbert Grosvenor
! president of the National Geographic
! Sciety and other world famous sci
entists whose names will be announc'
\ ed later