June 28, 1888] 



NATURE 



199 



people's minds towards the importance of our fisheries, 

 and made them in some slight degree acquainted with 

 the conditions under which those fisheries are worked. 

 At the close of the Exhibition a large balance was left in 

 the hands of its promoters, and it was hoped by many 

 leading men of science that the money thus obtained 

 would be utilized, in part at least, for the purpose of en- 

 couraging investigations upon the habits and economy of 

 food-fishes. But the money was appropriated to other 

 purposes, excellent in themselves, though useless as a 

 means of promoting the welfare of the fishing industry. 

 Prof. Lankester, however, nothing daunted by this want 

 of success in obtaining funds from the surplus of the 

 Fisheries Exhibition, and feeling that it was time to 

 strike whilst people's minds were awakened to the im- 

 portance of our fisheries and to the lack of scientific 

 knowledge concerning them, determined to found an 

 Association for the purpose of encouraging the study of 

 the marine fauna of the British coasts, and with the 

 consent and co-operation of the officers of the Royal 

 Society called a meeting for this purpose in the rooms 

 of the Society on March 31, 1884. The meeting was 



eminently successful. The Duke of Argyll proposed a 

 resolution to found the Marine Biological Association of 

 the United Kingdom, and was supported by the most 

 eminent biologists in the country. An appeal was made 

 for subscriptions in aid of the Association's projects, and 

 was soon liberally responded to. His Royal Highness 

 the Prince of Wales graciously consented to be patron 

 of the Association, and gave liberally to its funds ; the 

 scientific Societies, the City Companies, the Universities, 

 and finally Her Majesty's Government, joined the list of 

 subscribers ; and in a short time the Association was in a 

 position to undertake the building of a laboratory. After 

 some debate as to the most suitable locality for a laboratory, 

 Plymouth was selected, partly because it is a large 

 and important fishing port, partly because the rich- 

 ness of the marine fauna of the Sound and neighbouring 

 shores was extolled by such eminent authorities as the 

 late Dr. Gwyn Jeffreys, Mr. C. Spence Bate, and Prof. 

 Charles Stewart. The Association was fortunate in se- 

 curing a magnificent site for the Laboratory from the War 

 Office. For this site, than which a better could not be found, 

 the Association is greatly indebted to the Earl of Morley, 



South Front of the Laboratory of the Marine Biological Association, on the Citadel Hill, Plymouth. 



then Under-Secretary of State for War, and to Sir Andrew 

 Clarke, Inspector-General of Fortifications. The site 

 granted is that part of the fosse of the Citadel lying to 

 the south of the portion of the Citadel wall known as 

 King Charles's Curtain ; it has a frontage towards the sea 

 of 265 feet, and extends some 240 feet southwards of the 

 Citadel. 



The Laboratory which has been erected upon this 

 site is admirably adapted to the purposes of the As- 

 sociation. It is, indeed, more than a laboratory, it is 

 also an aquarium, whose tanks are extensive and fitted 

 with every improvement that modern science can suggest. 

 The total cost of building, machinery, and fittings, includ- 

 ing all fees, has been about ,£12,500. The structure com- 

 prises a central portion with a wing at either end. The 

 east wing is almost wholly taken up by the residence of 

 the Director, and needs no further comment. The west 

 wing has on the ground floor the caretaker's rooms, and a 

 receiving-room into which the results of the day's fishing 

 will be brought for examination. On the first floor are 

 chemical and physiological laboratories, and on the 

 second floor a 'library, a work-room, and lavatory. The 



main part of the building contains on the ground floor the 

 aquarium or tank-room, and on the first floor the large 

 laboratory. The tank-room is fitted with slate and glass 

 tanks, of which one on the northern side is a noble 

 window tank, 30 feet in length, 9 feet in breadth, and 

 5 feet deep. There are three large window tanks on 

 the north side, nine smaller window tanks on the 

 south side, and a series of five table tanks in the middle 

 of the room. The tanks are supplied with salt water from 

 two reservoirs, capable of holding 50,000 gallons each. 

 From these the salt water is led by means of pumps 

 through vulcanite pipes into the tanks ; the openings of 

 the pipes are placed rather more than a foot above the 

 level of the water in the tanks, and are provided with 

 nozzles through which the water is forced at high pressure, 

 so as to form jets descending deep into the tank and 

 carrying with them a quantity of atmospheric air. Circu- 

 lation has been established in the tanks for the last 

 fortnight, and there is every reason to be satisfied with the 

 arrangements for aerating the water. The jets carrying 

 down the air deep into the water of the tank cause it to be 

 filled with minute bubbles so as to resemble champagne, 



