The Stones of I ona. 275 



"To-night Mrs. Robertson's mother and mother's 

 sister from South Wales are coming to stay for a 

 week or so with us. We hope to have the pleasure 

 of a visit from you when you are over at the British 

 Association." 



Previous letters had sympathized with Dr. Dohrn 

 in the many impediments that preceded his grand 

 success in establishing the zoological station at 

 Naples troubles with the municipality, troubles with 

 the architect, difficulties in regard to funds present 

 and prospective. One of them deplores the severe 

 illness of Dr. Dohrn's father, speaks of the dredged 

 material which Dr. Dohrn had sent to Robertson 

 from the Mediterranean, and explains that his wish 

 for stones from lona to place in his tank cannot be 

 gratified, since "the only stones of that place are 

 Druidical and sculptured stones, which would not on 

 any account be procurable." 



As the Neapolitan causes of vexation one by one 

 disappeared before Teutonic energy and enthusiasm, 

 the sympathy, which had been very genuine as long 

 as it was needed, apparently became the subject of 

 a more or less academic discussion between the two 

 friends, to judge from the following letter : 



" September 29, 1872. 



" MY DEAR DR. DOHRN, 



"A day or two before I received your last 

 letter I had written you that I had forwarded you the 

 stones for your aquarium, which I hope by this time 

 have arrived safe and are the kind you wanted, and 

 as you had that letter I did not write so soon. 



