bottom life, and pelagic or swimming or floating life, the latter group 

 is very rich in many small and transparent animals. 



The ground is so vast that one has to confine himself to one side 

 of the study, as in the study of Ornithology, Entomology, Mammal- 

 ogy, Botany, etc., on land. 



Twenty years ago the first attempt was made to study the life 

 of the Pacific ocean. In 1901 he (in the interests of the University 

 of California), made a reconnoissance of the coast, San Francisco Bay, 

 Monterey Bay, and finally San Pedro, through some local friends. 

 Then San Diego was examined, and he became convinced that these 

 southern waters were the best. From the first the station specialized 

 on the floating material as being less studied. 



The lantern slides represented snaps of the coast, the rocky topog- 

 raphy of the beach, and the station buildings and their equipment. 



Slides of a large Oscidian were shown, and also the following: 

 Copepods (the most important fishfood of the marine animals), other 

 copepods; a chaetognath (Mr. Michael of the station is making a 

 special study of these worms); various forms of Peridinidae, which, 

 like the land plants, are well provided with food material for animals. 

 The "Alexander Agassiz" being launched and at work was shown on 

 the screen, with equipment for capturing small animals including the 

 Kofoid closing net weighing 200 to 300 pounds; 0.7% formaldehyde 

 is used for preservation. 



Three hundred and twenty-eight species have been described from 

 the beginning, and 900 species reidentified; 44 new species of unicellu- 

 lar organisms. Esterly has described 79 new species of Crustacea and 

 recorded 131 species; three new species of fish. What has been done 

 is probably only a fraction of the whole, but it serves as a basis for 

 further work. 



They then dwelt on the distribution of species and the probable 

 causes which lead to this and their rarity or profusion. We wish to 

 know the bionomics of the organisms. Time of day, depth and light 

 have a great deal to do with this. No two species have their dis- 

 tribution exactly the same level. Light and food are controlling fac- 

 tors in reactions. There were questions and discussions by Edwards, 

 Esterly, Whiting, Keese, and others, which were very suggestive. 

 Edwards told of variation in Synapta. 



To conclude a profitable and interesting evening, Mr . Keese 

 showed crystal formation by means of the polariscope. 



Meeting adjourned at 11 o'clock. 



F. GRINNELL, JR., 



Acting Secretary. 



The Biological section of the Academy met on Thursday evening, 

 March 20, 1913, in the office of Dr. A. J. Fetters, 202 Pantages building. 

 South Broadway, Los Angeles, Dr. C. A. Whiting, chairman, presiding. 

 The following persons were present: J. C. Gomber, H. Gray, C. A. 

 Whiting, C. O. Esterly, A. J. Fetters, A. B. Ulrey, F. Grinnell, Jr., 

 Prospers Barrows, H. H. Newcomb, John Clark, R. L. Beardsley, 

 J. Z. Gilbert, G. W. Schlichten, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Fred Burlew, C. D. 

 Foster. Meeting called to order at 8 o'clock. 



Dr. C. O. Esterly of Occidental College gave results of original 

 work on the habits of the Copepods, carried on at the Marine Labora- 

 tory at La Jolla. The Copepods, or water-fleas, are very abundant 

 everywhere and provide food for many animals, including whales. 

 The Copepods for this study were collected in special net "hauls"; 

 there were studied 680 bottles of specimens and about 225,000 indi- 

 viduals counted to get the results given in the talk. Six genera and 

 nineteen speces were worked on. There were found to be more Cope- 

 pods from 8-12 p. m. at the ocean surface; all records in June and July. 



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