people who came to the United States from other countries, were kept for a
while until they could be sent out West, or down South, or wherever they
wanted to go.

Now it is a place where many fish, big, little, ugly and beautiful, are
shown in tanks of water so the boys and girls can see what strange things
are in the ocean, rivers and lakes of this world.

Led by Mr. Bobbsey, Bert and Nan, with Flossie and Freddie trailing on
behind, walked around the big building, looking in the glass tanks wherein
swam the fish.

"What's over there?" asked Freddie, pointing to where a crowd of people
were standing near some pools in the middle of the floor.

"Oh, different big fish--a sea lion, alligators and turtles," said Mr.
Bobbsey.

"Let's look at the sea lion!" called Flossie.

"I want to see a swimming turtle," said Freddie. "I had a mud turtle once,
but he went away."

"You shall see everything," promised Mr. Bobbsey.

They went over to the pool, where a number of large alligators, and one
crocodile, were lying in or out of the water. Some were lazily swimming
about, and the crocodile was asleep out on the stone ledge, with his big
mouth wide open.