Biological Section 



The meetings of this section will be held during the year 1914-15 

 in the lecture room of the Los Angeles Public Library in the Metro- 

 politan Bldg., at 5th and Broadway, on the first Tuesday of each 

 month. The first meeting was held on the evening of October 6, 

 1914, at 8 o'clock. Professor Albert B. Ulrey, the new chairman, was 

 the speaker of the evening. He alluded to the recent death of Dr. 

 C. A. Whitney, who was chairman of the Section for several years. 

 He then gave an account of the work of the Venice Marine Biological 

 Station of the L^niversity of Southern California, telling something 

 of deep sea conditions off the coast, and the recent researches. He 

 also outlined the intended work of the Section for the year. 



The second meeting was held on November 3. Prof. Ulrej-, the 

 chairman, made a report of some work at Venice. Sea urchins and 

 starfish are becoming scarcer; may have to be protected. Mr. Barn- 

 hart, of the University-, is studying the tuna question. Dr. Edwards 

 reported the work of the nature study department of the public schools, 

 of which he is supervisor. He is taking up the ideas of Joe Knowles, 

 giving the children a knowledge of the injurious plants and animals. 

 A nature study laboratory is to be established at the Olive St. School. 



Dr. C. O. Esterly, of Occidental College, then made a very inter- 

 esting address on the Food Problems of Fishes, with reference to 

 his work on the copepods of the California coast. He discussed vari- 

 ous theories proposed, especially that of Putter. Calanus and other 

 copepods are largely used as food, and the probable food of these 

 Crustacea is the very small marine organisms — the coccolithophoridae, 

 The chain is: Fish — smaller fish — copepods — micro-plankton. 



The third meeting was held on the evening of Dec. 1, 1914. Prof. 

 Ulrey announced the death of the eminent biologist, August Weis- 

 mann, in Germany. Also speaking of a recent trip of the Biological 

 Department of the University of Southern California in the launch, 

 Anton Dohrn. 



Dr. Wm. A. Hilton, of Pomona College, gave an account of the 

 Laguna Beach Marine Laboratory of Pomona College, and of its past 

 summer's work. He then proceeded to a very interesting account of 

 the remarkable marine arthropods known as the pycnogonids; they 

 are probably classified near to the spiders. He had numerous charts 

 of all the known California forms to illustrate his full and illumin- 

 ating talk. He discussed the classification, structure, the circulatory, 

 respiratory, and reproductive systems of each species in detail. 



F. Grinnell, Jr., 

 Acting Secretary. 



