46 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May 



BIOLOGICAL STATION OF CANADA.* 

 A Review of its Three Years' Work. 



The issue of the first fasciculus of scientific papers from the 

 Marine Biological Station of Canada gives occasion for some 

 account of that important institution and its work. The papers, 

 which contain the results of the biological researches carried on by 

 Canadian specialists at the Station, form the Supplement to the 

 33rd Annual Report of the Fisheries Department, Ottawa. The 

 Supplement is not only of unique scientific interest, but a glance at 

 the nature of the subjects treated of demonstrates its immense 

 practical value to the Government and 10 the public. It is stated 

 that the French, German and other foreign Governments have 

 speciall}' applied for copies of this publication, and the fact is not 

 surprising in view of the technical value and practical bearing of 

 the six or seven reports included in this Blue Book. 



The Station was founded by the Dominion Government in 

 i8g8, the Order in Council authorising its erection being dated 

 May 9th of that year. The steps which led to its foundation may 

 be briefly told, and, for the details, reliance has been placed upon 

 Professor Prince's article on the origin, equipment, and work of 

 the Station, which forms the first of the seven scientific papers 

 now presented to the public. 



Professor Prince, as Dominion Commissioner of Fisheries, 

 was rightly selected as head and director ot the Station by the Cana- 

 dian Committee of the British Association for the Advancement ot 

 Science, and he gives in a concise report, a rapid outline of the 

 progress of Marine Biology in Canada onward from 1835, when 

 Sir William Dawson began, as a youth of 15, to collect marine 

 specimens in the vicinity of Pictou, Nova Scotia. It is an inter- 

 esting story, and should be told in full detail some day, for Pro- 

 fessor Prince's sketch was evidently written currente calujno, and 

 there are many omissions of important zoological work done, 

 which should find a place in a complete sketch of Canadian marine 

 biology. The Station resulted, as Professor Prince tells us, from 



* Contributions to Canadian Biologfy, being- studies from the Biolog-ical 

 Station of Canada, 190T. Supplement to the Ann. Report Mar. and Fish. 

 Dept., Ottawa, 1900. 



