516 THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATIONS OF EUROPE. 



cliarge, and it i.s uot until the end of his stay that the visitor recognizes 

 how luucli lias been done for him. 



There is no more interesting department of the station than that of 

 receiving and distributing tlie material. Its headquarters is in the 

 basement of the jdiysiological laboratory, and here Oav. Lo IManco is 

 to be found busy with his aids and attendants amid a confusion of 

 pans, dishes, and tables, encountering the Neapolitan fishermen who 

 have learned to bring all of their rarities to the station. The specimens 

 are (luickly assorted by the attendants; such as may not be needed for 

 the immediate nse of the investigators are retained and jirepared for 

 shipment to the universities throughout Europe. The methods of kill- 

 ing and preserving marine forms have been made a most careful study 

 by Lo Bianco, and his preparations have gained him a world wide rep- 

 utation. Delicate Jelly-fish are to be ])reserved distended, and the frail 

 forms of almost every group have been successfully fixed. The methods 

 of the Naples station were kept secret only until it was possible to 

 verify and improve them, as it was not deemed desirable to have them 

 given out in a scattered way by a number of investigators. 



Lo Bianco has made the best use of the rich material passing daily 

 through his de[)artment, and has been enabled to prepare the most 

 valuable records as to s])awning seasons and as to larval conditions. 

 He knows the exact station of the rarest species, and it seems to the 

 stranger a ditlicult matter to ask for a form which can not be directly 

 or indirectly procured. It adds no little to the time saving of the 

 student to find each niorning at his work i)lace the fresh material 

 which he has ordered the day before, often in embarrassment lather 

 than dearth of riches. 



A collecting trij) often occurs as a pleasant change from the indoor 

 work of the investigator. An excursion to Capri may be planned; the 

 launch will be brought to the quay near the station, and the party will 

 embark. The collecting tubs are soon scattered over the deck, and 

 filled with the dredge contents. Some of the passengers are quickly 

 at work sorting out their material, one seizing brachiopods, another 

 compound ascidians, another sponges. Others will wait until the sur- 

 face nets have been brought in and the contents turned into Jars. All 

 will depend upon Lo Bianco as an appelhite Judge in matters of identi- 

 fication. 



Many Americans have availed themselves of the privileges of Naples, 

 aiul the former lack of support of an American table needs little com- 

 ment. Of those wlio have hitlierto visited Naples more than three- 

 quarters have beeu indebted to the courtesies of German universities. 

 At present, of the two American tables one is supported by the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, the other by gift of Mr. Agassiz. 



The entire Italian coast is so rich in its fauna that it is due perhaps 

 only to the greatness of Naples that so i'ew stations have been founded. 

 Messina has its interesting laboratory well kuown in the work of its 



