REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 37 
natural history of this important marine invertebrate, which will be 
based chiefly upon his own studies now in progress, and is designed 
especially to present that class of facts regarded as essential in per- 
fecting the methods of its propagation and providing for its better 
protection by means of legislation. 
Prof. H. V. Wilson, of the University of North Carolina, nearly com- 
pleted during the summer his inquiries relative to the development of 
certain sponges, which he had previously carried on at Woods Hole 
and at the Bahama Islands. These studies were partly undertaken 
with the view of using them as the basis for experimental operations 
in Florida respecting the cultivation of the commercial sponges, but this 
work has been deferred for the present owing to Professor Wilson’s 
resignation from the service of the Commission. The report upon his 
observations, received during the year, has been published in the Journal 
of Morphology.! 
Dr. William Patten, of the University of North Dakota, was engaged 
upon the study of the sense organs in the horseshoe crab (Limulus), 
supplementing his observations on structure by many interesting 
physiological experiments to determine their functions. These related 
iny part to the sensibility of this animal to changes in temperature, a 
subject of great importance in respect to fishes, which it is hoped will 
soon be taken up. Certain points concerning the annelid worms were 
studied by Dr. E. A. Andrews, of Johns Hopkins University; the 
development of the group of mollusks known as chitons was observed 
by Mr. Maynard M. Metcalf, of the same university; and Dr. James I. 
Peck, of Williams College, was occupied in preparing a systematic 
paper on the pteropods and heteropods collected during recent explora- 
tions of the steamer Albatross. 
The following persons were also present at the station: Mr. H. McE. 
Knower and Mr. Lefevre, post-graduate students of Johns Hopkins 
University, collecting and studying the surface life of the region; Mr. J. 
Y. Graham and Mr. Farr, of Princeton College, engaged in the study of 
the anatomy of several local fishes and invertebrates; Prof. E. R. Boyer, 
of the public schools, Chicago, collecting fishes and marine invertebrates 
for instructional purposes; Mr. W. McM. Woodworth and Mr. C. B. 
Davenport, of Harvard University, the latter investigating several 
forms of hydroids, in continuation of observations begun the previous 
season. 
The schooner Grampus, which was employed during the summer 
months in conducting investigations along the outer margin of the 
continental platform south of New England and New York, made its 
headquarters at Woods Hole, and Professor Libbey, in direct charge of 
that inquiry, occupied quarters in the laboratory during the intervals 
between the different trips. The steamer Fish Hawk was also at work 
in Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound during a part of the summer. 
1Observations on the Gemmule and Egg Development of Marine Sponges, by Henry 
V. Wilson. Journal of Morphology, 1x, No. 3, pp. 277-406, plates 14-25, 1894. 
