A MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY. 451 



buildings lying across the harbor to the southwest about four 

 miles from Kingston. It is a seaside resort for Jamaicans of leisure, 

 and a more attractive and suitable spot about the harbor could 

 not have been chosen. In the rear of the village Salt Pond Hill 

 rises abruptly to a height of one thousand feet or more, and upon 

 its highest point are the ruins of an old stone fort known as 

 ^' Rodney's Lookout." From this position a glorious view of the 

 surrounding country is obtained. Here, in the early days of 

 pirates and buccaneers. Admiral Rodney had his stronghold, 

 whence he could look out upon the harbor and sea and detect the 

 approach of enemies. 



From the veranda of our laboratory we had a grand view of 

 Kingston Harbor, in which the entire fleet of the English navy 

 might anchor with safety. Following the low, sandy beach to the 

 left we see the fishermen's hamlets and old Port Augusta. Across 

 the harbor the city of Kingston appears in dim outline ; and off to 

 the right, upon the end of the " pallisadoes " protecting the har- 

 bor, lies old Port Royal, which was nearly destroyed by the earth- 

 quake of 1G03. To the southeast the harbor opened out into the 

 deep waters of the Caribbean Sea. The beautiful landscape 

 stretching out thus before us was completed by the Blue Moun- 

 tains, which formed a dark gray background. The highest point 

 of the range is Blue Mountain Peak (7,5G0 feet). It appears in 

 bold relief above the range, twelve miles east of Kingston, Two 

 years ago some of our party made the ascent of the mountain. 

 They encamj^ed on the peak overnight, and enjoyed the rare 

 luxury of soft beds of tree-fern leaves improvised for the occa- 

 sion. The location of our laboratory offered many facilities for 

 biological research. Numerous coral reefs, mangrove swamps, 

 and salt ponds were all within an hour's sail from our port. Good 

 opportunity for study is also found on land. The hills in the rear 

 and the broad valley of the Rio Cobre, not far away, are stocked 

 with land crabs, lizards, termites, scorpions, and the like. Bird 

 life is not so abundant as we had anticipated, but to a botanist 

 the flora of Jamaica offers a most attractive field for study. 



By those who are acquainted with the coast of Jamaica, Port 

 Henderson is thought to be the most suitable location on the island 

 for a permanent marine laboratory. It offers many advantages 

 for study of life in tropical waters ; its collecting grounds and its 

 facilities for " towing " and " dredging " are next in value to 

 those of the Gulf Stream. The location is in the immediate vicin- 

 ity of Kingston, whence the temporary wants of the party may be 

 readily supplied. It is also in direct communication with New 

 York and Liverpool by steamer and cable. With a view, then, 

 of locating a permanent laboratory for promoting the study of 

 marine biology, a plan is at present being considered by promi- 



