Vol. XLII March, 1922 No. 



BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 



THE INVERTEBRATE COURSE IN THE MARINE 

 BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY. 



A CONTRIBUTION TO THE TECHNIQUE OF TEACHING ZOOLOGY. 



W. C. ALLEE, 

 MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY. 



In the thirty-four years of its existence, the course in inverte- 

 brate zoology, given each summer in the Marine Biological Lab- 

 oratory at Woods Hole, has undergone considerable evolution. 

 It was founded at the first session of the laboratory in 1888. In 

 the first report of the director, Professor C. O. Whitman, the 

 course is outlined thus : 



" The work of instruction, conducted by Professor Van Vleck, 

 was confined chiefly to the study of invertebrate forms, such as 

 the sponges, hydroids, ctenaphors, worms, starfishes, sea urchins, 

 lobsters, corals, etc. An excellent series of mounted preparations 

 added much to the value of instruction. Considerable attention 

 was given to histological technique, and a large amount of valu- 

 able material for use in the teaching was collected by each mem- 

 ber of the class." 



Since that time the course has been in the charge of J. S. Kings- 

 ley, specializing in comparative anatomy ; H. C. Bumpus, marine 







zoology ; James I. Peck, morphology ; Ulric Dahlgren, histology ; 

 G. A. Drew, biology of molluscs ; W. C. Curtis, morphology and 

 regeneration ; Caswell Grave, morphology and embryology ; and 

 W. C. Alice, ecology and general physiology. Several of these 

 men had served a preliminary term as instructor in the course be- 

 fore taking charge, and this experience made for continuity in 

 its development. 



In the earlier years, many of the lectures were given by investi- 

 gators, not connected with the teaching staff. The whole field of 



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