THE UTILITY OF A BIOLOGICAL STATION ON THE FLORIDA COAST IN 

 ITS RELATION TO THE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES. 



BY SETH E. MEEK, PH. D., 



Assistant Curator of Zoology, Field Columbian Museum, 



There seems to be considerable disposition of late years on the part of some 

 individuals and institutions of learning to establish biological stations in different 

 parts of the world. Some of these stations are permanent, others only temporary; 

 none, I believe, on our own coast are open during the entire year. They are largely 

 established to supplemeut biological study in our colleges and universities and to 

 facilitate and promote original research. In none except the Woods Hole Government 

 Station are there any special attempts to solve problems of economic importance. 



The scientific work done in these is fragmentary in character. Each investigator 

 continues his particular line of work, with no special reference to its bearing on other 

 problems. The investigator's mind is not troubled as to whether or not the results 

 of his studies will give to anyone the means of securing wealth or be of economic 

 importance to the general public. He is solving, so far as his ability and facilities 

 will permit, some purely scientific problem, without any special interest as to what 

 practical use may be made of its solution. 



In our own country, and in this so called practical age, there is always an attempt 

 to make some practical use of every discovery. The brains of our inventive genius 

 are strained to their utmost to turn new facts into common use; to make scientific 

 discoveries things of commercial utility. In Franklin's time no one ever dreamed that 

 electricity would serve the commercial world as it is doing to-day. Hardly had the 

 discovery of X-rays been made known when thousands were racking their brains to find 

 in them as many methods for their practical use. So far has this idea of utility been 

 developed in this country with regard to the physical sciences that every new fact 

 must in some way serve mankind. This feature is not so prominent in the biological 

 sciences, though much has been done in this direction, especially in medicine and in 

 the propagation of many of our useful plants and animals. 



The mapping of the life zones of North America, as begun some few years ago 

 by our Agricultural Department, is already asserting its usefulness. These zones 

 are based on a careful study of the geographical distribution of our land plants and 

 animals, their life-histories and interrelations. This same kind of work must also be 

 extended to our waters, from which we receive such a delicious and abundant supply 

 of food. Observations to this end must be frequently made and constantly carried 

 on during the entire year and under favorable circumstances. Our knowledge of the 

 marine animals which we use for commercial purposes is far too limited. Much iufor- 



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