china do duty in the cause of research as well as 

 the most expensive of modern aquaria — and as 

 efficiently. 



Within arm's length of where I sit writing these 

 lines (for this room, besides being a laboratory of 

 natural science, serves as a writing chamber, study, 

 and studio) , in keeping with the general disparity, 

 stands a plain pine table, a trifle wobbly now, and 

 scored from long use. Like Fabre and his famous 

 writing-table, I have a deep attachment for it. It 

 was my first love. It was the very first piece of lab- 

 oratory furniture that I acquired when I determined 

 on my present career. But there is no need to go 

 into that here. Elsewhere I shall have occasion to 

 say something regarding those factors that had to 

 do with the early shaping of this career. The faith- 

 ful old table is now retired to a corner of the room, 

 where it supports with what dignity it still retains 

 a various assemblage of dead tests, crab molts, and 

 desiccated seaweeds. 



To speak of my favorite microscope, however, 

 without some mention of its relation to me and 

 my life's work, is to speak of it not at all. For it 

 was due to the acquisition of this particular in- 

 strument, and all that that acquisition entailed, 



[12] 



