Puck — March 20, 1878 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a narrative comic strip satirizing the acquisition of an exotic animal—specifically what the captions identify as an amphibious "marvel" purchased by an agent of the New York Aquarium. The sequence shows the creature's journey: initially found in shallow water, it ventures into deeper water, becomes unmanageable aboard ship during transport, and ultimately ends up displayed at the aquarium alongside other attractions (a "Stone Man," "Devil Fish," and other curiosities). The satire likely mocks both the aquarium's sensationalist marketing of exotic specimens and the public's fascination with such "marvel" displays. The progression from capture to commercial exhibition reflects Puck's critique of treating nature as entertainment commodity.