PROCEEDINGS OP THE SOCIETY. 279 



the identification of species, the help of active workers who 

 are specialists in particular groups would be looked for and 

 doubtless accorded. 



The encouragement and co-ordination of the work of 

 local amateur biologists should also be one of the 

 main functions of an Association such as that at Millport. 

 It is well known that in Glasgow there are enthusiastic workers 

 who are doing admirable work, and making important con- 

 tributions to our knowledge of the local fauna. Such workers 

 should be able to rely upon receiving every help and encourage- 

 ment from the Association, and the latter, in turn, should be 

 able to count on their assistance and loyal co-operation. 



While experience has shown how extremely difficult it is to 

 run an aquarium on merely popular lines without ending in 

 financial disaster, such an aquarium might be admirably 

 managed as an adjunct to a scientific laboratory. This may 

 be instanced by reference to the Naples Marine Station, with 

 its magnificent show-tanks which form one of the greatest 

 attractions to visitors to that city. These popular tanks are, 

 of course, isolated from the portion of the institution reserved 

 for scientific work, so as to insure that the actual workers 

 will be free from interference or interruption. 



As regards the educational side of such an institution, one 

 of the first evidences of a Marine Laboratory being a thorough 

 success will be found in the attraction to it from elsewhere of 

 persons distinguished in scientific research. This was fre- 

 quently the case at Millport in earlier days, when distinguished 

 investigators came to the Firth of Clyde from England and 

 other countries. Looking to the future, it would doubtless 

 be in many cases possible to induce such biologists while at 

 Millport to give short courses of instruction in the special 

 departments of biological science on which they are authorities. 

 If all interested in the Association are able to work together, 

 and help it to make its chief line of activity — that of " investi- 

 gation " — a thorough success, they may then, as a natural 

 consequence, count with every confidence on the development of 

 its popular and educational functions as well. 



Professor Kerr then delivered a lecture on the subject of 

 " A Naturalist in South America," in which he gave an 



