XCII EOYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



The effort is being made to increase the utility of the station by 

 inviting teachers of science to attend during the summer vacation, take 

 part in the work of the laboratory, and obtain practical training. The 

 experience of other stations favouring an educational development in 

 addition to scientific experimentation, it is hoped that this procedure 

 will be of value and result finally in the establishment of a permanent 

 summer school. 



MAEINE BIOLOGICAL STATION. 



This station -u-as for two years located on Eichmond Bay, near 

 j\Iaipeque, Prince Edward Island, and the important oyster 

 experiments carried on in the selected area in the bay were continued 

 under the supervision of Professor Eamsay Wright, of Toronto; 

 Professor McBride, of McGill; and Dr. Joseph Stafford, of McGill, 

 with a number of junior assistants, and some valuable observations were 

 made on the spatting, development and growth of the oyster. 



Captain E. Kemp, the department's oyster expert, gave very valu- 

 able assistance, and aided the station very much by the services of the 

 steam tug " Ostrea " under his charge. This vessel is specially 

 constructed for the oyster work, draws very little water, and is able to 

 navigate the shallow bays and inlets where the work is carried on, and 

 was of very great value to the station. 



A number of new points were discovered in the structure and 

 habits of the young oyster. Some of the artificial methods of oyster 

 culture were found not to be adapted to Prince Edward Island, while 

 others proved most successful, but the details will be in a full report, 

 which is in an advanced condition. 



The staff concluded, at 'the end of the season, that it would be 

 necessary to continue the experiments for another year, as a period of 

 three years is regarded as the maturing period of the oyster, and an 

 oyster three years old is regarded by authorities to have reached a 

 mature stage and is capable of propagation. 



The practical results of the work carried on by the station in the 

 study and the artificial propagation of the oyster show that the oyster 

 beds of Prince Edward Island and the other provinces could be very 

 j:;reatly increased in productiveness and yield one thousand fold greater 

 returns than they do at present. 



In addition to these elaborate investigations upon the oyster. 

 Professor Knight, of Kingston, tested different varities of bait suitable 

 for the capture of lobsters. The varieties of bait tested consisted of 

 fresh and salted dog-fish, fresh and frozen herring, gurry, etc., and the 

 various takes of lobsters proved of much value. The report on this 



