FOUNDATION OF ZOOLOGICAL STATIONS. 411 



" The buildings arc very well constructed and adapted to their uses. The 

 two chief houses have a length of 120 feet, and a breadth of 25 feet each. In the 

 lower story are the laboratories, each with 28 windows ; every student occupies 

 one window, and has for himself one aquarium. In the upper story of each 

 house are twenty-eight bedrooms, one for every student. The professors and 

 naturalists are lodged in another house of the shape of a Greek cross. The 

 dining-room is in a third house, which contains also the kitchen and the 

 servant-rooms. Besides, we have an ice-house, a cellar for alcohol, stables 

 for domestic animals ; about one hundred sheep are feeding in the pasture- 

 grounds of the island ; some smaller hutches contain rabbits, guineapigs, &c. 



" Next j'^ear physical, chemical, and physiological laboratories will be con- 

 structed. 



" . . . . I believe I did not tell you before that my son-in-law presented 

 me on my birthday with 100,000 dollars for the enlargement of the Museum ; 

 I intend to apply tliis sum chiefly to the augmentation of the collections, 

 hoping the State will pay for the adequate enlargement of the buildings ..." 



These letters prove that the name of this Committee has not been iU-chosen ; 

 for though the American Zoological Station has not been founded by its direct 

 intervention, there can be little doubt that the foundation of the Zoological 

 Station at Naples has been the signal for a new and powerful movement to 

 assist zoological research. 



Of course the American station has met with such extraordinary advantages 

 that a competition between it and the Naples Station, as regards means and 

 favourable circumstances, would be all but hopeless for the latter. Neverthe- 

 less it may prove a jiowerful instrument in carrying out strictly the self-support- 

 ing principle, by earning money through the aquarium, and by letting tables 

 in the laboratory. And though any act of munificence to the Naples Station 

 is exceedingly desirable and would be heartily welcomed (as the moment has 

 not yet arrived when any scientific establishment in this world has at its 

 disposal more money than it can spend), the greatest stress will always be 

 laid upon these two elements. 



The Reporter is further glad to state that the library of the Zoological 

 Station has constantly been augmented. A magnificent gift has been made 

 by the Zoological Society of London, which has presented a complete set of its 

 illustrated ' Proceedings.' The B-oyal Academies of Copenhagen, Naples, and 

 Berlin have also granted their biological publications, and promised to continue 

 to do so in future. The Senckenberg Institute in J?rankfort-on-the-Main, 

 as well as the Zoological Garden of that city, have sent all their Transactions ; 

 so has the Smithsonian Institution in Washington with respect to its biological 

 pubHcations. Well-fovmded hopes are entertained that in a short time many 

 other Academies and scientific Societies will follow the example of those above 

 mentioned. 



German publishers have continued to send their biological publications 

 gratis to the library of the Station ; and great quantities of books, pamphlets, 

 and publications, in separate form, of papers published in periodicals have 

 been forwarded from all parts of the scientific world through the kindness of 

 the authors. 



On the part of the Zoological Station, though still in an embryonic state, 

 considerable activity has been displayed with regard to furnishing continental 

 zoologists with collections of well-preserved maiine animals. Thiis, Prof. 

 "Wilhelm MiiUer, indeed, has been supplied with Amphioxus and Tunicata, 

 Prof. Greeff, of Marburg, with lai-ge quantities of Echinodermata; mixed col- 

 lections of every kind of animals have been sent to Prof. Oscar Schmidt, 



