I903-1904-] Millport Marine Biological Station. 71 



a constant flow of cool water going through them, ranged in 

 a separate room, but adjoining the Museum and forming part 

 of it, would add immensely to its popularity and usefulness." 

 I had a very striking illustration of this, when, one afternoon 

 lately, a few visitors — evidently a family party — found their 

 way into the Laboratory after having paid a visit to the 

 Museum. Mr Staig and myself happened to be the only 

 occupants at the time, and we showed them, by means of the 

 microscope, some samples of tow-nettings, crowded with minute 

 life, which had been made that morning. They were then 

 taken into the Tank-room, and had the various living occu- 

 pants pointed out to them. They left with many expressions 

 of gratitude ; and in a short time one of the party returned 

 to ask if we could recommend any work which would tell 

 them something about such animals as those they had just 

 seen. We at once named Dr Marion Newbigin's book, * Life 

 by the Sea-Shore,' as well suited for this purpose. To the 

 ordinary visitor, living animals appeal in a way that museum 

 specimens, however excellent of their kind, can never do. 



The Teachers' Classes, begun at the Station in 1901, have 

 been a marked success, and fraught with great benefit to those 

 who were able to take advantage of them. The course of 

 instruction here given has been recognised by the Scotch 

 Education Department, and is carried on as a Nature Know- 

 ledge Course under Art. 91(rf) of the Scotch Code. F. W. 

 Young, Esq., H.M. Inspector, reports thus on Session 1903 

 (the latest available) : " There is good reason for much satis- 

 faction with the work and progress of the Teacher-students 

 who have attended a course of study for the third year in 

 succession. Several very enthusiastic naturalists have been 

 evolved, and they have all now obtained a sound working 

 knowledge of the subjects studied, which ought to be of 

 effective service in the Nature Knowledge Lessons given in 

 their schools." 



An important step was taken in June 1901, when the 

 Station received a new constitution, under the name of 

 " The Marine Biological Association of the West of Scot- 

 land." As a result of this change, it was hoped that the 

 Station would be placed " on a firmer foundation, by uniting 

 its supporters into a definite body, as members of which they 



