THE ZOOLOGICAL STATION AT NAPLES 213 



facts, together with the placing of large problems before the mind for 

 imagination and criticism to solve. An enthusiast for Darwinism and 

 influenced by the philosophical writings of Leuckart and Milne- 

 Edwards, from the very beginning, Dohrn's conception of the field of 

 work broadly included the investigation of function as well as form, 

 and the phylogeny of both. The dissection of animals, the study of 

 their tissues by the aid of the microscope and the description of their 

 life histories from the fertilized egg through all the changing embry- 

 onic and larval stages, should be reinforced by physiological experiment 

 and chemical analysis, together with the observation of the manner of 

 living and behavior of the animals. 



The zoological station is situated on the shore of the bay in the Villa 

 Nazionale, on the most beautiful and convenient site in Naples. One 

 approaches by a long walk flanked by rows of stone-oaks whose over- 

 arching, intertwining branches produce a grateful shade from the bril- 

 liant sunshine. Here and there groups of phoenix palms, spreading, 

 leafy palmettos and cycads, add the appropriate subtropical vegeta- 

 tion. The renaissance architecture is perfectly adapted to the uses of 

 the station, while the beautiful structure fits into the scene as naturally 

 as the palms themselves. 



The oldest of the three buildings (A) of the zoological station was 

 opened in 1874 and is now chiefly occupied by the public aquarium 

 (a) and the library (5). The second building (5), finished in 1886, 

 is connected to the western end of the first by bridges and contains the 

 department for collecting and preserving organisms as well as indi- 

 vidual laboratories for zoologists. The third addition (C) was built in 

 1906 for the new science of comparative physiology. This laboratory 

 lies to the east of the aquarium, being connected therewith by a building 

 (D) surrounding a court. It is scarcely necessary to enumerate the 

 rooms and describe them in detail. In fact no one at the station could 

 tell me just how many rooms there are ! It is sufficient that each 

 investigator is provided with a laboratory containing large and small 

 aquaria, tables, and all necessary reagents and apparatus for his work. 

 There are also large general laboratories for zoology, physiology, botany 

 and chemistry, with all the equipment necessary for research. The 

 museum, now under charge of Dr. Gast, contains a faunal series of 

 specimens so wonderfully preserved that often they are more beautifully 

 expanded than the living animals themselves. 



From the brilliant sunlight one enters the semi-obscurity of the 

 large aquarium hall. Great tanks, with plate-glass fronts, are around 

 the sides of the room, and a double row in the middle partially divides 

 the hall. The only light enters through the water, so that one has the 

 impression of being in a submarine environment. The sea-water is 

 stored in large tanks upon the upper floor, then, mixed with air, circu- 



