ON THE ZOOLOGICAL STATION AT NAPLES. 255 



during tlie year, that you will be able to receive him as a guesb for such 

 period as may be convenient to your arrangements. 



' In the meantime the Committee desire me to assure you that they 

 will use their best efforts to obtain next year the usual grant, which will 

 enable them to lease a table at the Naples Station in the usual way. They 

 further beg you to be assured that the project of the Marine Biological 

 Association for erecting a laboratory at Plymouth has not been the cause 

 of the insufficient grant made by the British Association at Aberdeen, 

 since no grant was applied for or assigned to the Plymouth enterprise 

 this year. 



' I am, dear Sir, 



' Tours very faithfully, 

 ' W. Percy Sladen, 



' Sec. to tlie Committee. 

 ' Prof. Anton Dohen.' 



* Naples : December 5, 1885. 



' Dear Sib, — In acknowledging the receipt of your communication, 

 dated November 28, on behalf of the Committee for arranging for the 

 occupation of a table at the Zoological Station at Naples, I find it difficult 

 not to begin with the expression of the sincerest gratitude both for the 

 grant of 50^. and for the tenor of the communication which informs me 

 of the condition under which the grant is tendered to me. I cannot but 

 consent at once to the propositions the Committee makes therein ; and I 

 shall be doubly pleased if you should have to announce to me at the 

 earliest possible date the arrival at Naples of a naturalist whom the Com- 

 mittee desires to see installed at the table, and who will be sure to receive 

 the full share of the advantages which the Zoological Station, its staff, 

 and myself may be able to give him for his scientific work. 



' It is a great satisfaction to me to be assured by the Committee that 

 they will use their influence to continue the table in the usual way. 

 Indeed, as you say, it is essential for the existence of the Zoological 

 Station that the regulations hitherto observed should be maintained. The 

 system of letting tables to different Governments or scientific bodies has 

 been introduced as the best possible means to guarantee the existence of 

 an institution which it would have been difficult to create in any other 

 way on so large a scale. 



' It seems to me beyond doubt that in creating and continuously 

 strengthening one great central institution, a greater good to science 

 is secured than by promiscuously attempting to establish smaller labora- 

 tories on different points of the European coast, without carefully weighing 

 whether such laboratories offer any special advantage, and can be carried 

 to a state of really efficient working order. If available funds existed, 

 every university — nay, every zoologist — might establish a seaside labora- 

 tory for his own private use, and thus pursue with all possible advantage 

 bis favourite lines of research. But, as it is, such funds are not ready, 

 and nobody, I dare to say without presumption, can judge better about the 

 difficulties of making them forthcoming than the writer of these lines. 

 The Zoological Station of Naples represents up to this date a capital of 

 20,000Z., and has to provide for a yearly budget of 6,0001. to 7,000Z. 

 The efforts it has cost to secure these sums have been considerable. I may 

 be permitted to state that it took seven or eight years of persevering 

 effort to add the recently acquired 4,0001. for the creation of the new 



