454 
NATURE 
| March 15, 1883 
The investigations of Von Koch into the relations of 
the skeleton in corals, Flemming’s researches on the ova 
of Echinoderms, Metschnikoff’s on Orthonectidz, those 
of Dr. Vigelius on the anatomy of Cephalopoda, of Prof. 
Greef on Alciopide, are a few more examples of good | 
work, of which some of the credit belongs to the station. 
Since the laboratory was opened more than 200 scientific 
workers have studied at its tables. 
Besides this success which the institution has obtained 
as an international laboratory, it has also produced great 
results by its own individual activity. A vast amount of 
complete and careful work is devoted to the preparation 
of the series of monographs which commenced with the 
Ctenophore of Dr. Chun in 1880. Of these six have 
appeared—four zoological and two botanical—and a large 
number, embracing many important classes of animals, 
are far advanced towards completion. The Planarians, 
by Dr. Lang, will be received with interest on account of 
the discoveries and original views which his work has 
already produced. The Actiniz are being worked out 
thoroughly, for the first time, by Dr. Andres. The 
Sponges, the Radiolarians, the Copepoda, and the Capi- 
tellidze are also at present undergoing a complete study 
in the station, and two of the volumes already announced 
will treat of families of Alga. An enterprise of such 
magnitude has never before been undertaken in the field 
of zoological investigation ; only an organisation of the 
power and resources of the station at Naples could attempt 
it; an organisation which is able to offer to zoologists, of 
energy and zeal, unlimited material in the living con- 
dition, unlimited leisure for work, and immunity from all 
distractions save some slight duties connected with the 
routine of the laboratory. 
The other two publications of the station are of a less 
colossal character. The W2ttheclungen was begun in 
1879, for the sake of publishing the numerous discoveries 
and new views which result from the work of the staff 
occupied with the ‘‘Fauna and Flora,” or from the re- 
searches of those occupying the rented tables. The 
circulation has already reached 400 copies, and the few 
volumes which have appeared constitute a valuable addi- 
tion to the literature of biology. In its pages are 
described the new processes in the ¢echnigue of micro- 
scopical work which have been invented in the station, 
one of which, the method of preparing series of sections, 
devised by Dr. Giestrecht, and now used in every labora- 
tory in Europe, is an improvement whose importance it 
is impossible to estimate too highly. 
The object of the Zoologischer Jahresbericht was to 
supply a bibliographical report, which should not only 
give a list of published works but a véswmmé of the matter 
contained in each, and which should give perfect facilities 
for reference. The latter object is attained by means of 
two indices—one of the names of authors, the other of 
subjects. The English Zoological Record and the report 
of the Archiv fiir Naturgeschichte are devoted chiefly 
to systematic zoology ; in the Jahresbericht every publica- 
tion on anatomy, embryology, morphology, or physiology, 
is catalogued and summarised. 
In contrast with the activity exhibited by the station 
in the directions which we have hitherto considered, 
activity whose results are as conspicuous as they are 
important, is the unobtrusive work of the department 
presided over by the energetic conservator, Salvatore Lo 
Bianco,—the department for the preservation and distri- 
bution of marine animals, All the material procured by 
| the expeditions of the two steam launches, and the 
smaller boats belonging to the station, or by purchase 
from Neapolitan fishermen, passes first into the control 
of this department. Whatever is needed by the various 
occupants of the work-tables and by the scientific staff is 
selected and allotted according to applications made from 
day today. The rest is either put into the tanks of the 
public aquarium, or preserved. Marvellous progress has 
been made in the art of preserving delicate and sensitive 
creatures in their naturally extended condition, and inland 
laboratories can be provided with specimens of Alcyonaria, 
Zoantharia, Medusz, Ctenophora, Annelids, &c., which 
show the form if not the colour of the living animal, and 
in which all the organs are in a perfect condition for 
anatomical and generally even histological study. 
There is scarcely a biological laboratory in Europe 
which has not had recourse to the preparing department 
of the Naples station in order to procure material for 
investigation or for teaching purposes. An example of 
the work of the department is to be exhibited in the 
approaching International Fisheries Exhibition—a most 
beautiful collection of preparations is now in the station, 
ready to be sent to London. 
In connection with this department arrangements have 
been made with the naval authorities of Germany and 
Italy, by means of which an officer is sent from time to 
time to the station to learn the methods of obtaining and 
treating marine creatures for the purpose of scientific 
study ; so that the cruises of war-ships in remote seas 
may contribute to valuable scientific results when each 
has an officer on board who understands what is of 
zoological interest and how it should be preserved. 
In conclusion it will be of interest to give a few details 
concerning the finances and arrangements of the station. 
The annual income is between 5000/. and 6000/., of which 
1200/, is derived from the public aquarium, 1600/. from the 
rented tables, about 800/. from the sale of the publications, 
including 260 annual subscriptions of 50s. each for the 
monographs, 600/. from the preparation department, and 
1500/7. is the amount of the German Government subsidy, 
The total number of those in the permanent service of 
the station is thirty-seven, of which eight comprise the 
scientific staff, and the rest are made up by the engineers 
under the direction of Mr. Petersen, the fishermen, and 
the conservator and his assistants. The number of tables 
at present rented is twenty-one, but the station has space 
for thirty. At the beginning only seven tables were taken, 
two each by Prussia, England, and Italy, and one by 
Holland. The School of Biology at Cambridge has de- 
rived much support and benefit from its connection with 
the station, and the taking of a table by Oxford would 
probably give to zoological studies there an impetus 
which is much needed. Of the few zoologists which 
Oxford produces, some have already had recourse to the 
British Association table. It is probable that some one 
of the many rich institutions in America will soon take a 
table for the use of American zoologists, many of whom, 
imperfectly acquainted with the organisation of the sta- 
tion, and therefore unaware that no table can be occupied 
unless taken either by a corporation or a private indi- 
