362 



NATURE 



\^Aug. 29, 1872 



Prof. A. Gaudry described the various species of Machairodus, 

 and Mr. W. Boyd Dawkins remirked upon tlie range of this 

 animal, stating that tlie genus certainly occurred in the forest bed 

 of Norfolk, although the species there was doubtful. 



Dr. Carpenter followed with his paper On the Tempci-aUtrc 

 and other Physical ConMtiens of Inland Seas, considered in re- 

 ference to Geolo^v. The general results obtained by recent 

 deep-sea soundings were first described, the author afterwards 

 passing to the special subject of the paper. Where seas were 

 shut off by a narrow and comparatively shallow barrier from the 

 great ocean it was found that the lowest bottom temperature of 

 sucli seas was controlled by the lowest winter temperature of the 

 surface. The bottom temperature of the Red Sea is about 71°, 

 and since it appears that the distribution of reef-building corals 

 depends not so much upon depth as upon temperature, we may 

 expect to find them living at much greater depths in the Red Sea 

 than anywhere else in the world. The great rivers flowing into 

 the Mediterranean bring down a great quantity of organic matter, 

 and the decomposition of this carries off much of the oxygen 

 from the deeper water. Probably to this fact is owing the 

 scarcity of life at great depths within that sea. 



The author pointed out the bearing of these and similar facts 

 upon geological speculation, and in these remarks he was followed 

 by Prof. Phillips, who spoke of the great light which Dr. Car- 

 penter's researches were throwing upon geology, explaining as 

 they did how great areas of sea-bottom might be almost destitute 

 of life, just as we find great deposits of rock to be. 



SECTION D— Department or Zoology and Botany 



Report of the Committee appointed for the purpose of promoting 

 the Fonndation of Zoological Stations in different parts of the 

 world. 



The Committee report that, as stated in the Report of 

 the last meeting, the Zoological Station at Naples will be ready 

 and in working order at the beginning of January 1S73, the pro- 

 gress of the construction being such as to enable Dr. Dohrn to 

 make this assertion. 



This undertaking has received much official and private assis- 

 tance, not only from public authorities, but in a very high degree 

 from private persons. The Committee feel obliged to acknow- 

 ledge especially the extraordinary services rendered by Mr. W. 

 A. Lloyd of the Crystal Palace Aquarium in giving every 

 assistance to Dr. Dohrn in so far as technical difficulties are 

 concerned. 



Special care has been taken to secure donations to the library 

 of the Station. The eminent firm of Engelmann in Leipsig has 

 presented all its works on Biology not previously possessed by 

 Dr. Dohrn. Veweg in Brunswick has also sent all his publica- 

 tions on Biology. Theodor Fischer in Cassel has done the same. 

 Important donations are promised by Dr. Alexander Agassiz of 

 Cambridge, Mass., comprehending the publications both of his 

 father and himself. 



To secure the development of the library on a greater scale, it 

 wUl be necessary to make general applications. For this purjiose 

 Dr. Dohrn, assisted by several of the greatest German publishing 

 firms, is preparing an appeal to all German publishers, and he 

 hopes also to succeed with a similar demand in Italy. The 

 Committee hope that the British Association will lend its moral 

 support to a similar demand in this country, not only by granting 

 a complete set of its own publications, but by recommending a 

 similar act to other Scientific Bodies and private persons. 



The Committee are further glad to announce that some steam- 

 navigation companies are prepared to grant a free passage to the 

 naturalists and free transport for the goods to and from the 

 station. As transactions are still pending between these Com- 

 panies and Dr. Dohrn, the latter does not think it desurable to 

 publisli details on this point, or to mention the names of the 

 Companies in question. 



Dr. I )ohrn contemplates a new step for the purpose of return- 

 ing a larger income for the Naples Station. He is about to offer 

 to several Governments, Universities, and Scientific Bodies, 

 working tables in the laboratory of the Station for a certain 

 annual sum. Tliis sum would confer on the subscribing Govern- 

 ment, University, or Society, the right of appointing a naturalist, 

 who, on presenting a certificate to the administration of the 

 Station, would be furnished with a working table, and admitted 

 to a participation in all the very extensive advantages of the 

 Station. 



The Committee think well earnestly to advocate this new step 

 of the administration of the Naples Station, the more as it lessens 

 the burden of the single naturalist, enabling even such as are 

 destitute of means to profit by the manifold advantages of the 

 Station, while it secures a fixed income to the Station which 

 would be employed in improving the technical and other means 

 of investigation. 



Mr. Lankester gave some additional account of the Zoological 

 Station about to be established by Dr. Ddhrn at Naples. During 

 the present year he had personally had the opportunity of seeing 

 the arrangements which were in progress. 



" On the narrow strip of coast which separates the park of the 

 Villa Reale from the sea, a large stone building is at present 

 being erected at Naples, quietly and almost unnoticed — at least 

 the Neapolitan press has paid no attention to it. The strength 

 of the foundations — it has taken three months to lay them — 

 shows that they are intended for an edifice of considerable si/e 

 and durability ; and on making inquiries I have learnt that this 

 is the Zoological Station, which has been occasionally mentioned 

 by Italian, German, and English journals during the last few 

 months. It has been organised and is being built by a young 

 German naturalist. Dr. Anton Dohrn, of Stettin, who, until a 

 few years ago, was a privat docenl at the University of Jena. 

 He has paid nearly the whole of the expenses, which amount to 

 about 50,000 thalers (7,500/.), out of his own pocket, the only 

 assistance he has received having come from a few personal 

 friends, who have lent several thousands of thalers for the pur- 

 pose. The following is a short sketch of his plan ; — The ground 

 floor of the building, which covers an area of almost Sooo square 

 feet, contains a great aquarium, which will be opened to the 

 public. Dr. Dohrn hopes that the money thus obtained will 

 not only suffice for all the expenses of the aquarium, but also 

 afford a surplus to be employed in covering a part of the require- 

 ments of the upper story, which is to be exclusively devoted to 

 scientific purposes. Besides the officials and servants employed 

 in the aquarium, several young zoologists will be attached to the 

 Station, and receive a regular salary from the director. Dr. Dohrn. 

 Thus, a number of new positions will be opened up for young 

 scientific men. But this is not all. As the only duty of these 

 zoologists will be to devote themselves to certain branches of 

 scientific work, and their exertions will be carefully directed and 

 organised, as has long been the case in astronomical and meteor- 

 ological observatories, there is every reason to hope that scientific 

 research will be greatly facilitated and advanced by their labours. 

 In the upper story of the Zoological .Station laboratories will 

 also be prepared for the use of naturalists coming from othei 

 parts of Italy and from abroad. For this purpose a large scien- 

 tific library will be founded. Dr. Dohrn's very considerable 

 private collection seiving as a nucleus, and about twelve tables, 

 fully furnished with the necessary appurtenances, established. 

 Each of the latter will be provided with a number of tanks sup- 

 plied with a constant stream of sea-water. Sea-fishing and 

 dredging will be conducted on an extensive scale by means of 

 several boats, to which, if the necessary means are forthcoming, 

 a small steam-yacht will be added. The animals taken will be 

 given to the zoologists for scientific treatment. It is more than 

 doubtful whether all these rich and expensive conveniences can 

 be furnished to zoological visitors without any pecuniary com- 

 pensation ; but I hear that Dr. Dohrn has drawn up a plan 

 which will enable even naturalists of limited mean; to enjoy the 

 advantages of the St.ation. He proposes to offer one or more 

 tables to various governments and scientific societies for a fixed 

 annual sum. These tables, and all the scientific resources of the 

 Station, will at once be placed at the disposal of any naturalist 

 who brings a certificate from the government, university, or 

 scientific body to which the table has been let. This plan, among 

 its many other advantages, seems to be a successful attempt to 

 solve the difficult question as to how it is possible to unite a 

 complete self-administration on the part of scientific bodies wil'i 

 the reception of pecuniary assistance from their governments. 



"Dr. Dohrn speaks in the most grateful manner of the assis- 

 tance rendered him by the German authorities in Italy, especially 

 by Mr. Stolte, the consul-general at Naples, while at the same 

 time he warmly acknowledges the interest in his undertaking 

 displayed by the government of Italy, more particularly Signer 

 Correnti and Signor Sella, the late and the present Ministers of 

 Public Instruction. The difficulties in the way of the execution 

 of his plan were neither few nor small, as may be gathered from 

 the fact that, in spite of the I'eadiness displayed by the municip.al 

 authorities of Naples, more than two years elapsed before § 

 definitive contract could be concluded between the town and Dr 



