THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATIONS OF EUROPE. 515 



least obtrusive mimicry will be exemplitied. The stranger has often to 

 examine caiefnlly before, in the seemingly empty tank, he can deter- 

 mine on every side the living forms whose color characters screen them 

 ettectively. Thus he will see sand colored rays and flounders, the 

 upturned eyes of the curious star-gazer almost buried in the sand, a 

 series of mottled crustaceans wedged in a rocky background, an occa- 

 sional crab wandering cautiously about, carrying a protective garden 

 of seaweeds on his broad back; odd sea horses posing motionless mim- 

 icking the rough stems of the seaweeds. In the larger tank sea turtles 

 float sluggishly about; and coiled anjid broken earthern jars are the 

 sharp jawed murrys, suggestive of lionuin dinners and of the cultural 

 experiments of Pollio. Aeration in the aquaria is secured effectively 

 by streams of air which are forced in at the water surface and subdi- 

 vide into bright clouds of minute silvery bubbles. The tanks are 

 cared for from the rear i)assageways; attendants are never seen by 

 visitors, and constant attention has given the aquaria a well-earned 

 reputation. Well-illustrated catalogues in French, German, English, 

 and Italian enable the stranger to be better appreciate the aquarium. 



To the remainder of the building strangers are not admitted. A 

 marble stairway leads from the door of the aquarium to a loggia which 

 opens into the territory of the students. A long pathway of grating 

 extends across the open center of the building — whose skylight top 

 admits the light to the aquarium below. On the one hand is the main 

 laboratory room, on the other the library and separate rooms intended 

 for more fortunate investigators. One enters the main laboratory, 

 passes a wall of student aquaria, and sees a series of alcoves formed by 

 low partitions, each work-place with its occupant, his apparatus, his 

 books, his jars — altogether often a picture not of the utmost tidiness. 

 A small iron staircase leads to a, gallery, which gives a second tier of 

 work-places a ad doubles the working capacity of the room. Here, side 

 by side, will be representative workers from universities of every coun- 

 try of Europe. 



The library room adds not a little to the attractiveness of the Naples 

 station. (PI. xxxi, tig. 1 .) It is a long room, and, as shown in the figure, 

 is adorned with frescoes in a truly Italian style. It looks out into a 

 long lo{fgii( with view of the sea and Capri, where the student is wont to 

 retire iu after luncheon hour with easy chair and book. The working 

 library is of the best, and is sure to contain the results of the most recent 

 researches. The desk shown in the figure is one on which each day is 

 to be found the latest publications. In the upjjer pigeonholes are the 

 cards prejiared for each investigator on his advent to Xaples; with 

 these he replaces the volumes which he has taken to his work place. 

 Every division of the laboratory is carefully organized, and is under 

 the charge of a special assistant. Prof. Hugo Eisig, the assistant 

 director, has taken the welfare of each student under his i)er!!;onaI 



