The little book which we here offer to our visitors, is inten- 

 ded to answer, in an easily comprehensible manner, the que- 

 stions which experience has proved are the first to be put. 



These questions partly relate to the novelty of the animal- 

 world exhibited, which is not to be found in other Aquariums, 

 especially those in the north ; and partly originate in the tra- 

 ditions which an earlier stage of science has left lingering in 

 the minds of the uninitiated, without reconciling them with the 

 .new, and not therefore always lucid, conceptions of those problems 

 and theories which, the substance and result of a scientific re- 

 volution of extrordinary extent, are being ever more spread 

 abroad by popular literature. We have done our best to avoid 

 wearying the reader with the elementary explanations that too 

 often increase the bulk of such guides as this. 



The Aquarium of the Zool. Station has for years enjoyed a 

 good name, owing, chiefly, to the circumstance that it is situa- 

 ted in the shores of the richest in animal life of all European 

 seas. This wealth of marine Fauna is reflected in the tanks of 

 the Aquarium, the contents of which often vary, according to 

 the season and the influence of the weather in the fishing. No 

 doubt there exist many much more luxuriously appointed Aqua- 

 riums in the north, which surprise the visitor by their deco- 

 rative .architecture or beautiful grottoes , but they are like 

 portraits the want of interest in which is compensated for by 

 magnificent accessories, such as velvet dresses, costly furs, and 

 gorgeous frames. % 



Our Zool. Station is able to dispense with all such pomp, 

 and this is done gladly, in order to use all its available means 

 for the purely scientific aims in aid of which alone it was cal- 

 led into existence. 



In conclusion, I beg the reader to note the following pre- 

 liminary remarks by R. Schmidtlein , the special director of 

 the Aquarium, and author of the guide, for they will facilitate 

 the understanding of the subsequent descriptions. 



ANTON DOHRN 



244738 



