210 University of California Publications in Zoology \Vou.9 
H. THE FUTURE 
I. THE STATION’S PROGRAMME PROPER 
Turning from the past and present to the future, it is desir- 
able to remind ourselves of the general idea upon which our 
whole enterprise immediately rests, namely, that of a ‘‘ Biological 
Survey of the Waters of the Pacifie adjacent to the Coast of 
Southern California.’’ An earlier statement (Ritter, 1905a) wall 
furnish a useful introduction to what is to follow. ‘‘ While there 
is no reason for attempting a rigorously laid out attack on the 
numerous problems, a natural sequence within certain limits will 
establish an order; and where practical administrative conditions 
conveniently adapt themselves to such sequence this order will 
be followed. For example, the species representing a given 
pelagic group having been gotten well in hand, a natural second 
step would be the determination of the seasonal distribution of 
the group. . . . Following close upon the treatment of seasonal 
distribution would come that of horizontal and vertical distribu- 
tion, the chorology; and inseparably linked with these would be 
the problems of food and reproduction; and these again would 
lead to problems of migration, with their intimate dependence 
upon temperature and other environmental factors. And here, 
completeness of knowledge being ever the watchword, the demand 
would arise for applying experimental and statistical methods 
in the effort to get at the deeper significance of the facts observed, 
and generalizations reached from the observational investigations. 
The chain of questions hanging one to another is endless and, of 
course, completeness of knowledge in a literal sense is an un- 
attainable ideal.’’ 
This quotation is made partly to emphasize the general view 
which has from the beginning guided the station’s work and 
development; and partly to show that when the statement was 
written six years ago even a rough outline of the course then 
proposed was only approximately that which has actually been 
followed. For instance, experience has proved that such a sever- 
anee of problems of vertical migration from those of vertical 
