REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT, I907. 23 



prehensive and summary explanation. Attention is therefore invited to the 

 detailed reports of the heads of departments of investigation and to the re- 

 ports of individual investigators to be found in the current Year Book. 



The fields of investigation enumerated under this head in my preceding 



report have remained the principal fields of research during the past year. 



In conformity, however, with the plans outlined in my 



'^p* Larger previous reports and approved by the Board of Trustees at 



their meetings of December 12, 1905, and December 11, 



1906, special laboratory facilities have been provided for certain branches of 



the work in geophysics and the work in nutrition, which have been carried 



on under the auspices of the Institution hitherto in a tentative way only. 



The Geophysical Laboratory, whose construction was begun in July, 1906, 

 was ready for occupancy by July, 1907. Dr. Arthur L. Day was appointed 

 Director of this laboratory by vote of the Executive Committee at its meet- 

 ing of January 14, 1907. Brief reference to this laboratory is made in a 

 subsequent part of this report and a full description, with illustrations of it, 

 will be found in the report of Director Day on pp. 85-96. 



The construction of a laboratory for studies in nutrition was authorized 

 by the Executive Committee at its meeting of March 11, 1907. Professor 

 Francis G. Benedict was appointed Director of this laboratory by the Execu- 

 tive Committee at its meeting of February 11, 1907. Reference to the site 

 and the construction of this laboratory is made in a subsequent part of this 

 report and also in the report of Professor Benedict on pp. 130-133. 



The larger projects, or departments of work, are enumerated alphabetically 

 in the following list, which gives also the names of the directors conducting 

 the researches in the departments, or laboratories, as the case may be : 



Botanical Research : D. T. MacDougal, director. 

 Economics and Sociology: Carroll D. Wright, director. 

 Experimental Evolution : Charles B. Davenport, director. 

 Geophysical Laboratory : Arthur L. Day, director. 

 Historical Research : J. F. Jameson, director. 

 Marine Biology : Alfred G. Mayer, director. 

 Meridian Astrometry : Lewis Boss, director. 

 Nutrition Laboratory : Francis G. Benedict, director. 

 Solar Observatory: George E. Hale, director. 

 Terrestrial Magnetism : L. A. Bauer, director. 



To this list may be added the work in horticulture carried on in the main 

 by Mr. Luther Burbank, but in a supplementary way also under the auspices 

 of a committee consisting of the President and the heads of the three depart- 

 ments of biological research, as explained in my preceding report. 



Referring to the individual reports of the heads of departments for a more 

 adequate account of the year's work in the numerous and diverse fields of 

 departmental activity, the following summary, may suffice to show the trend 

 of current progress. 



