186 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



The fishes of the Gulf section are abundant, their great abundance possibly being 

 the cause of the delay in their more scientific propagation. Thus it will be seen that 

 the Gulf section, both from a geographic standpoint and the standpoint of its fauna, 

 and tlora, is at the natural focus of at least two-thirds of the territory of the United 

 States. 



But these are not the only reasons why the Gulf section should favor the study of 

 the biologic sciences. The great problems of the preservation of public health; the 

 prevention of the spread of infectious diseases among both lower animals and man, 

 are in themselves demanding most serious consideration. The scientific study of horti- 

 culture and agriculture, recognized in all countries as important, is still more necessary 

 in the Gulf section, where all forms of life are more abundant and difficult to control. 

 Other countries are trying to solve the mysteries of malaria, yellow fever, cholera, and 

 other diseases, and why should not we at least do our part? No country on the face 

 of the globe has greater cause for encouraging scientific investigation and progress. 

 Thousands of other problems of equal importance remain to be solved by careful, 

 painstaking investigation. 



The great need of the biologic interests of the Gulf section is a well-directed 

 Gulf laboratory liberally supported. Marine biological laboratories have distinct pur- 

 poses of their own. Unlike many of the summer schools, they are not designed to 

 give many brief courses, from which students can obtain merely a smattering of a 

 large number of subjects. The biological school confines itself to the pursuit of one 

 branch only, is designed to give thorough work in this line, and the work in these 

 laboratories must not be confused with that of many of the summer institutes. A 

 summer biological laboratory must almost of necessity be placed upon the seashore. 

 The ocean is the great home of life. Some large groups of animals are absolutely 

 confined to the ocean, and others are almost wholly so. Marine life, too, furnishes 

 the biologist with most of the interesting and important problems whose solution is 

 solving questions of wide interest. 



So well understood is it that the ocean is the great source of life that it is 

 beginning to be felt that no biologist is to-day thoroughly equipped until after he has 

 had the opportunity of spending more or less time in work with living specimens at 

 the seashore. The marine laboratory has about the same relation to biological work 

 in the schools that the ordinary laboratory has to the text book. We no longer regard 

 text -book knowledge as sufficient for a satisfactory equipment in scientific lines, and 

 it is beginning to be felt With equal force that no biologist is properly trained until 

 practical seashore work has familiarized him with the great ocean and its inhabitants. 

 Students in our schools taking their courses away from the shore can, of course, gain 

 a certain practical knowledge, but a knowledge that ought to be completed by the 

 study of the, living specimens in their native haunts. Many departments of zoology 

 indeed can hardly !>< studied except at the seashore. Embryology and comparative 

 physiology are hardly possible except where living, growing specimens arc at hand. 

 and certain types of life can not be satisfactorily studied except alive. The teacher 

 in our public schools is learning that to tench /oology or any branch of biology requires 

 not only text book knowledge, together with laboratory instruction, but requires 

 actual contact with life as it exists in the ocean. Summer seashore work is fast 

 becoming a necessity for the science teacher who wishes to take high rank. 



To the college professor also a marine laboratory offers its own special advan- 

 tages. He who tries to keep himself in the front ranks among our teachers knows 



