" a small fleet of steam and sailing vessels, and by 

 " special enactment tbe officers are empowered to use, 

 " at their discretion, any means for tbe capture of fish 

 " or other marine organisms. 



" The Commission has refurnished the Biological 

 "Laboratory and added ten new rooms for research. 

 "It has equipped a laboratory for physiology. It has 

 "purchased a bacteriological outfit, and a creditable 

 "library of biology and fish-culture has been installed. 

 " Two steam launches and the schooner ' Grampus ' have 

 " been attached to the Station, several fine-mesh seines, 

 " trawls and tow-nets have been purchased, and a large 

 " fish-trap has been placed at a favourable locality. 



" From the day of the opening of the laboratory, 

 " April 1st, several tables have been continuously occu- 

 " pied, and, at the present time, the scientific force 

 " numbers twenty-four. Several have expressed the 

 " desire of extending their work during the autumn and 

 " winter months, and it is proposed to keep the labora- 

 " tory open throughout the year. 



" The Commission does not attempt to instruct or to 

 " dictate as to what lines of research are to be pursued, 

 " how the work shall be carried on, or where the results 

 " shall be published. It is convinced that all lines of 

 " biological research are indirectly, if not also directly, 

 " helpful to its more immediately practical work, and it 

 " happens that fully one-half of the investigators are 

 " busy with problems bearing directly upon the anatomy, 

 " embryology, physiology and pathology of fish. The 

 " large corps of collaborators has made it possible to 

 " secure definite data respecting the breeding habits of 

 " many marine forms. The floating fauna has been 

 "systematically examined; valuable information has 

 " been gained respecting the larval life of the star-fish, 



