152 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
strated practically the best methods by which their artificial propaga- 
tion may be accomplished. 
The steamer Fish Hawk was at Woods Holl during a part of the 
summer of 1889, and made several collecting trips for the purpose of 
securing material desired for examination. This station was also the 
headquarters of the schooner Grampus during both summers, while 
engaged upon the physical inquiries respecting the mackerel-grounds 
off the adjacent coast, as described elsewhere, and Prof. Libbey and the 
members of his party were given the necessary accommodations in the 
laboratory for working upon the materials and observations obtained 
on each cruise. 
Many important additions have been made to the laboratory equip- 
ment, and the facilities for research are now much better than they 
have been at any previous time. The aquaria have also been main- 
tained upon a proper basis, and while supplying the requirements of 
the investigators for the preservation of living specimens, they are 
equally appreciated by the public, which is given free access to the 
building at all hours. The greatest desideratum at the station is the 
lack of a good collection of scientific books, but this has been met in 
part by the courteous action of the Marine Biological Laboratory in 
placing its fine working library at the service of the Fish Commission. 
Books are also obtained when needed from the Boston Society of Natural 
History, and from Washington, and the principal technical journals 
treating of biological subjects have been subscribed to. 
During the summer months of each year the laboratory has been 
occupied by a relatively large number of scientific men, some of whom 
have been employed by the Fish Commission in making special inves- 
tigations, while others were given such facilities as they required for 
conducting whatever researches they desired to make. The Commis- 
sioner was also present during a part of both seasons. Seventeen 
investigators were in attendance during 1889, and 14 during 1890. 
Below is given a brief summary of the work performed by each, the 
principal topics pertaining to the operations of the Fish Commission 
being again referred to under special headings. 
SUMMER OF 1889. 
During this season Prof. W. K. Brooks, of Johns Hopkins University, 
was occupied chiefly with a study of the lite history of the common 
starfish, the most dreaded enemy of the oyster beds on the New Eng- 
land coast, whose breeding habits it is very desirable should be eare- 
fully determined. He also paid some attention to the natural history 
of physalia and salpa, surface organisms which are sometimes very 
abundant in the vicinity of Woods Holl. 
Prof. F, H. Herrick, of Adelbert Cellege, best known for his joint 
memoir with Prof. Brooks on the Embryology and Metamorphosis of the 
Macrura, soon to be published by the National Academy of Sciences, 
