. Popular science monthly. n of alertnessand curiosity as to the intentions of the photographer. All the animals at the park, however, are by no means living undersuch ideal conditions; in fact, the lives led by some—altogether too manyof them—are fit subjects for the action of the Society for the Preven-tion of Cruelty to Animals, and it is only a short time ago that the sec-retary of the Smithsonian Institution was compelled to print in his an-nual report that It has been possible to make some needed improvements in the roadwaysof the park during the year, but many of the buildings are almos
. Popular science monthly. n of alertnessand curiosity as to the intentions of the photographer. All the animals at the park, however, are by no means living undersuch ideal conditions; in fact, the lives led by some—altogether too manyof them—are fit subjects for the action of the Society for the Preven-tion of Cruelty to Animals, and it is only a short time ago that the sec-retary of the Smithsonian Institution was compelled to print in his an-nual report that It has been possible to make some needed improvements in the roadwaysof the park during the year, but many of the buildings are almost fallingdown. The need of means to put a permanent shelter over the animals can notbe overstated. Mention has already been made in this relation of the aquariumbuilding, which consists of a literal barn, and which was brought here untilCongress could provide a special one; but although several years have elapsed,none has yet been provided. The elephant house, a small wooden shed, put up 438 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. MEl 03 «)PM « H mQ a o azo —? fa THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN 439 as a temporary expedient ten years ago, requires extensive repairs to prevent itliterally falling from rottenness. As I say, the aquarium project has now been abandoned, and a na-tion oj£ .90,000,000 of people must be satisfied with the dozen or morewell kept, thoroughly inadequate and small aquaria at the building ofthe U. S. Fish Commission in Washington as the extent of the facilitiesfor the study of living fishes in confinement; a few trout, turtles, bass,and gold fish which, as far as they go, in a measure instruct the people,and certainly amuse the scientists. But when we come to think what animmense problem in economics our fisheries presents, and how vitallyimportant it is for us to study them in every possible way, both in na-ture and in aquaria, the negligence of congress in not amply appropri-ating money for the proper and extended prosecution of such enquiriesby the scientif
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