1903-1904-] Millport Marine Biological Station. 69 



morning it was discovered that the " Ark " had gone to 

 pieces, " many bits of her wood fittings being found in a 

 field adjoining the Marine Station, where they had been 

 carried by the wind a distance of fully a quarter of a mile." 

 Its time of usefulness was fortunately past, as the Station 

 near Keppel Pier was now in good working order, and the 

 " Ark " would sooner or later, in the natural course of events, 

 have become that unsightly object, a decaying old hulk. 



The founders of the Millport Biological Station had a two- 

 fold object in view which has never been lost sight of — viz., 

 " (1) to establish and maintain a fully equipped research 

 laboratory ; and (2) to make the Station a centre of general 

 interest and education in the very fascinating study of Marine 

 Natural History." A special feature of the buildings is the 

 Museum already referred to, so intimately connected with the 

 life-work of Dr Eobertson. Here, in this upper floor, the 

 collections of the Cumbrae Naturalist are ranged round the 

 walls, while Starfishes, Echini, Crustacea, Mollusca, and many 

 other forms of marine life, are set out in table-cases on the 

 floor. Special mention must be made of a collection of marine 

 invertebrates from the Station at Naples, presented by Dr 

 Anton Dohrn. Mrs Eobertson has gifted a very fine collec- 

 tion of local seaweeds, gathered and mounted by herself, be- 

 sides handing over many other things, — books, pamphlets, and 

 natural history objects, — at various times, for the use of the 

 Station. Sir John Murray, again, has presented to the 

 Museum a series of fishes, collected by the " Medusa " round 

 the Scottish coasts. Many visitors to Millport in summer 

 gladly pay the nominal price of admission to the Museum 

 for the sake of seeing the curious forms of life here exhibited. 

 Adjoining the Museum is a very useful reference library, 

 which is constantly being added to by gift and purchase. 



The other and working department of the Station buildings 

 is the Laboratory, on the ground-floor. Here, until lately, 

 most of the research and educational work had to be carried 

 on, sometimes under difficulties for lack of room. This Labor- 

 atory contains ten tables, three of these being university 

 tables, for students from Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen. 

 The Aquarium or Tank Eoom is also on this floor. During 

 the autumn of 1901 and 1902 our member, Mr E. A. Staig, 



