42 



POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



perform it would appear that an excellent opportunity is presented 

 in the possibility of establishing such a laboratory. 



Each of our universities and learned societies represents a more or 

 less well-defined and consequently narrow clientage, while the Car- 

 negie Institution alone is truly national in its scope and influence. 

 Also while our national scientific bureaus must devote their energies 

 chiefly to the solution of practical problems, the Carnegie Institution 

 alone may devote even the major proportion of its funds to the advance- 

 ment of pure science. As no permanent laboratory for research in 



marine zoology exists in the West 

 Indian region the Carnegie Insti- 

 tution would have an absolutely 

 free hand in determining the situa- 

 tion, scope and destiny of such a. 

 station. 



The present movement appears 

 to have been initiated by two ar- 

 ticles in Science advocating the es- 

 tablishment of such a lalioratory at 

 the Tortugas, Florida. Consider- 

 able discussion ensued; the chief 

 questions being those of the most 

 suitable site for the station, its aus- 

 pices, and the character of its work. 

 Opinions upon these important 

 points were expressed by fifty nat- 

 uralists, such as Barton. M. A. Bige- 

 low, E. P. Bigelow, Chapman, H. 

 L. Clarke, J. F. Clarke, Conklin, 

 Dall, Davenport, Dean, Dodge, Duerdcn, Edwards, Evermann, Gill, Har- 

 gitt, Herrick, L. 0. Howard, Jennings, H. P. Johnson, D. S. Jordan,. 

 V. L. Kellogg, Kingsley, Lillie, Lucas, McBride, McMurrich, Metcalf,. 

 Mills, Minot, Montgomery, Morgan, IsTeal, Nutting, Ortmann, C. H. 

 Parker, E. Eathbun, Eichards, Eitter, Eolfs, Sedgwick, Springer, E. 

 M. Strong, Treadwell, Verrill, H. B. Ward and four others. It is 

 evident that a large number of our most active biologists have inter- 

 ested themselves in the project. 



Twenty of those who have expressed any opinion upon the question 

 of site have favored more or less strongly the placing of the laboratory 

 at the Tortugas; six recommend Jamaica; three Porto Eico; two the- 

 Gulf Coast; two the Bahamas; the Isle of Pines, Miami, Florida, and 

 the Bermudas each one. 



Although the number of naturalists who have advocated the placing 

 of the laboratory at Jamaica is small, their opinion is evidently worthy 



Noddy Gull (A. utolida) upon its Nest, 

 Bird Key, Tortugas, where several thou- 

 sand OF these birds nest annually. 



