MAEINE EIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION. 



Report of the Council, May, 1890. 



The Council has met nine times during- the past year, and the 

 attendance has been fully up to the average of previous years. 

 The business transacted by the Council has had reference — 



1. To the maintenance and general efficiency of the Laboratory. 



2. To the prosecution of special investigations on economic sub- 

 jects. 



3. To the financial position of the Association. 



1. It was found necessary to alter the communications between 

 the storage reservoirs and the pumps of the Laboratory at Plymouth, 

 and orders were given to Messrs. Leete, Edwards, and Norman to 

 supply a new valve-box, connection-pipes, &c. The cost of these 

 alterations has been considerable, but it is satisfactory to note that 

 the results have been very beneficial, and have produced a marked 

 improvement both in the working of the pumps and in the water in 

 circulation. 



The Director reports that there was some little trouble over the 

 sea water in June and July, 1889, during the hot weather, and during 

 the alterations to the supply-pipes, which prevented more than one of 

 the storage reservoirs being in use ; but that since then, and espe- 

 cially after the alterations were completed, the water has been of 

 admirable quality, and all the animals have done remarkably well. 



Great improvement has lately been effected in the Aquarium at 

 a very trifling cost, by hanging curtains between the top of the fronts 

 of the tanks and the ceiling, so that all the light reaching the 

 spectator must pass through the tanks. Previous to this there 

 appears to have been an excess of light in the tanks, and the fish 

 now appear to be much more comfortable, and keep nearer to the 

 glass fronts. 



