MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATIONS 141 



occasions that Lo Bianco was seen in his glory ; directing 

 all proceedings, the centre of all activities, full of geniality 

 and information, he was the life and soul of the party. 

 Speaking to us in any language, and knowing everything we 

 catch on land or sea, patting the fishermen on the back, talk- 

 ing seriously with the strictly scientific, joking with the more 

 versatile, sympathizing if necessary with the seasick and 

 helping every one to enjoy the day and profit by the exper- 

 ience, he was an ideal leader of the marine biological picnic. 



The finest specimens caught or those not required for 

 immediate investigation are either most skilfully preserved 

 for museums or pass into the tanks of the aquarium. And it 

 is possible, without ever going to sea, to gain a very fair idea 

 of the local Mediterranean fauna from that last-named part 

 of the institution. The beauty and interest of the aquarium 

 are due, of course, in great measure to the brilliancy and 

 abundance of the rich fauna in the neighbouring waters, but 

 also in part to scientific knowledge and skiU. The tanks are 

 most carefully watched and governed, and their exact condi- 

 tion is always known — the temperature, specific gravity, 

 number of bacteria present, and other particulars of the 

 water, are constantly tested and considered. The pubHc 

 admiring the tanks on the ground floor little know of the 

 " council of war " occasionally summoned in the laboratory 

 upstairs consisting of experts in the subjects concerned, 

 chemistry, biology, bacteriology, to examine some unusual 

 sample or settle some delicate question. And so, by much 

 care and thought, results and effects are produced which we 

 admire greatly in the aquarium and which, although no doubt 

 in part due to the latitude, are also dependent upon the 

 scientific knowledge and manipulative skill behind the scenes. 



Amongst the fishes, we see in one tank fine specimens of 

 the Muraena — the real old Roman eel — coiling their snake- 

 like bodies through the necks of broken jars just as their 

 ancestors no doubt did two thousand years ago with the 

 same pots and jars — for those in the tanks are antiques — in 



