engaged in independent research work varied from year to year 

 and attained the largest number of 61 in 1901. Also, that year, 

 six laboratory assistants were employed to help the Director, 



After the death of McDonald, the position of the Commis- 

 sioner was occupied for two years (1896-97) by John J. Brice, 

 retired Naval officer. The next Commissioner was George 

 Meade Bowers, During the 13 years of his administration, from 

 1899 to 1912 inclusive, the activity of the Bureau of Fisheries 

 greatly expanded in all branches, including the services render- 

 ed by the Woods Hole Laboratory. The policies with regard to 

 the operation of the laboratory and its availability to independent 

 investigators have not been formally established. Continuing 

 the tradition initiated by Spencer F, Baird the Bureau of Fisher- 

 ies allowed a number of investigators to work in the laboratories 

 on various problems of their own choice. Sometimes this creat- 

 ed difficulties for the Commissioner in justifying the request for 

 funds made to the Appropriation Committee of Congress. To over- 

 come this complication. Commissioner Bowers defined the Bureau's 

 policy regarding this matter. In his report for the year 1909 he 

 wrote (Bowers, 1911, p. 16-17): "The marine biological stations 

 of the Bureau at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and Beaufort, North 

 Carolina, primarily established and maintained for study and ex- 

 perimentation in the interests of the fisheries and fish culture, 

 have as usual been resorted to by competent investigators from 

 all parts of the country. While the Bureau provides ample facili- 

 ties for qualified students and does not attempt to dictate the scope 

 and character of their researches, it is noteworthy that a large 

 percentage of the men of science who avail themselves of the lab- 

 oratory privileges are engaged in work having more or less direct 

 relation to practical questions, and in the past year an unusual 

 amount of attention was given on the commercial fisheries and the 

 cultivation of marine creatures. " As a matter of interdepartment- 

 al courtesy the facilities of the laboratory were available to the 

 government scientists of the Department of Agriculture, Public 

 Health Service, and other agencies. 



Scientific accomplishments of the Woods Hole Laboratory 

 made by its staff and by independent investigators have been 

 published in many volumes of Government reports and scientific 

 journals. A comprehensive review of these investigations is 

 beyond the scope of the present historical sketch. It is sufficient, 

 for the purposes of this report, to give a general outline of the 

 research projects carried out in the laboratory and mention the 

 more important contributions during the period. 



Scientific problems of a general biological nature were 

 studied by a number of eminent zoologists who were either guests 

 of the Fishery Laboratory or were temporarily appointed by the 

 Bureau to investigate a special research problem. The long list 

 of scientists mentioned in the annual reports of the Commissioner 



57 



