126 PEARLS [CH. 



for its existence. Pure scientists have for some 

 reason looked askance at it, and the non-scientific 

 public has not seen its possibilities, except perhaps 

 in the one branch of economic entomology. The 

 chemist, the engineer, and tlie architect may gain 

 much practical knowledge in our miiversities which 

 directly affects technical work. There is, on the 

 other hand, a considerable difference between the 

 biology of most university courses and the biology 

 of the North Sea Fisheries or the Pearl Banks of 

 Ceylon. The engineering student is not required 

 or expected to build mighty bridges immediately 

 after a university career, but the student of biology 

 without any practical experience is often expected 

 to solve most difficult problems and to alter con- 

 siderably the normal course of nature in a few 

 months. Added to this, however, we have the extra- 

 ordinary fact that whilst engineers are appointed 

 to superintend the construction of government rail- 

 ways, architects to design government buildings, and 

 so on, apparently anyone, without any previous 

 training, may be appointed to take care of our 

 fisheries. All this means that in our educational 

 work less interest is shown in providing teaching 

 facilities which would train the men required. It is 

 certainly rather surprising that in the country which 

 sent out the Challenger Expedition, which led the 

 way in deep sea cable laying, and which reaps a 



