THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY. 615 



appointments it is almost perfect, while in its results it takes the 

 first rank of all the institutions of investigation in existence. 

 Since its establishment other laboratories modeled after it have 

 been founded in all quarters of the globe Australia, Japan, and 

 Java not being behind the rest. In America the station estab- 

 lished by Mr. Alexander Agassiz at Newport is exclusively for 

 investigation, but it is only open to invited guests of its founder. 

 It was a part of the plan of the late Professor Baird to make the 

 Woods Holl station of the United States Fish Commission a cen- 

 ter of pure science as well as a laboratory for the solution of the 

 more economic problems connected with the food-fishes, and it 

 has been such. The scientific results published by the students 

 who have availed themselves of the facilities afforded have been 

 very considerable. Still, it is evident that in a Government insti- 

 tution research must ever be subordinate to the more practical 

 questions. The people can pay for that which will put dollars in 

 their pockets, but study for study's sake is something that the 

 average politician can not appreciate. At present, at least, pure 

 research must be supported by private means rather than by Gov- 

 ernment grant. 



The Marine Biological Laboratory has the foundation upon 

 which the ideal laboratory can be built. Its board of trustees 

 includes some of the most prominent zoologists in America, who 

 can be expected to guide it in the most profitable directions. It 

 has already purchased land for future growth. The desire now is 

 that upon this land shall be erected a building which can be kept 

 open all the year, instead of some three or four months in sum- 

 mer. Here there shall be a force of paid investigators through 

 the year, working at the many problems connected with the living 

 world. On the other hand, it will at the same time prove an 

 annex to every progressive college and university in the land, for 

 to it in summer both professors and students can freely come for 

 study and to collect the materials for the winter classes. It will 

 need a large library for reference, and funds for the publication 

 of the results worked out within its walls. 



Such an institution can not live from hand to mouth, but it 

 must have an endowment sufficient to pay all running expenses, 

 salaries, and the like. It offers to the future benefactor much in 

 return. To found a college or university to-day requires an enor- 

 mous fortune ; a fraction of that sum would establish a biological 

 station the best in the world. Nowhere in educational lines can 

 such great results be expected as here. We have enough colleges 

 and universities; institutions primarily for research are as yet 

 lacking; yet what honor they would reflect upon the man far- 

 sighted and public-spirited enough to give them the means of 

 existence ! 



