152 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



stralcd i)i;K-tically the l)est methods by whicli their aititicial ]>r()i)ag-a- 

 tiou iiuiy be aec<)iiii)Hslie(l. 



The steamer Fish Jlairk was at Woods lloU during a part of the 

 summer of 1889, and made several collectiug trips for the purpose of 

 securing material desired for examination. This station was also the 

 lieadciuarters of the schooner Grampua during botli summers, while 

 engaged upon the physical inquiries respecting the mackerel-grounds 

 off the adjacent coast, as described elsewhere, and Prof. Libbey and the 

 members of liis ])arty were given the necessary accommodations in the 

 laboratory for working upon the materials and observations obtained 

 on each cruise. 



Many important additions have been made to the laboratory equip- 

 ment, and the facilities for research are now much better than they 

 have been at any previous time. The aquaria have also been main- 

 tained upon a proper basis, and while supplying the requirements of 

 the investigators for the preservation of living specimens, they are 

 eqimlly appreciated by the publi<', which is given free access to the 

 building at all hours. The greatest desideratum at the station is the 

 lack of a good collection ot scientitic books, but this has been met in 

 l)art by the courteous action of the Marine Biological Laboratory in 

 jtlacing its line working library at the service of the Fish Commission, 

 Books are also obtained when neeJted from the Boston Society of Natural 

 History, and from Washington, and the principal technical journals 

 treating of biological subjects have been subscribed to. 



During the summer months of each year the laboratory has been 

 occui)ied by a relatively large number of scientitic men, some of whom 

 have been employed by the Fish Commission in making special inves- 

 tigations, while others were given such facilities as they required for 

 <'onducting whatever researches they desired to make. The Commis- 

 sioner was also present during a part of both seasons. Seventeen 

 inv«^stigators were in attendance during 1881), and 14 during 1800. 

 Below is given a brief summary of the work performed by each, the 

 principal topics pertaining to the operations of the Fish Ccnnmission 

 being again referied to under special headings. 



SUMMER OF 1889. 



During this season Prof. W. K. Brooks, of Johns Hopkins University, 

 was occupied chielly with a study of the life history of the common 

 starfish, the most dreaded enemy of the oyster beds on the New Eng- 

 land coast, whose breeding habits it is very desirable should be care- 

 fully determined. He also paid some attention to the natural history 

 of i>hysalia and salpa, surface organisms whicli are sometimes very 

 abundant in the vicinity of Woods Holl. 



Prof. F. H. Herrick, of Adelbert College, best known lor his joint 

 memoir with Prof. r>rooks(ni the Embryology and Metamorphosis oft lie 

 Macrura, soon to be published by Ihe National Academy of Sciences, 



