Mat 21, 1915] 



SCIENCE 



739 



of fish. With the installation of auxiliary 

 motors in such craft as the Grampus and 

 Dolphin the taxonomy of the Fish Commis- 

 sion's flotilla is not without its difficulties. 



When Professor Baird was laying his 

 plans for a permanent laboratory he was 

 in much doubt as to his ability to induce 

 Congress to make an appropriation for 

 such purpose. Assured of a location for 

 the laboratory, through the public spirit of 

 Joseph Fay, he conceived the idea of hav- 

 ing universities and colleges cooperate in 

 the building of a laboratory. To this end 

 he prepared articles of agreement whereby 

 an institution by contributing the sum of 

 one thousand dollars would have the right 

 in perpetuity to the use of a table in the 

 laboratory. This offer was open for but a 

 short time, as Congress, having had experi- 

 mental proof of the administrative ability 

 and probity of Professor Baird, made the 

 necessary appropriation for the construc- 

 tion of the laboratory. Before the offer 

 was withdrawn. Professor Alexander Agas- 

 siz had subscribed for a number of tables, 

 four, I think, for the use of Harvard Uni- 

 versity. My recollection is that one table 

 was subscribed for by Princeton, one by 

 Williams, and one by some other institu- 

 tion. It is largely owing to this plan that 

 a succession of graduate students has oc- 

 cupied tables in the laboratory of the Fish 

 Commission since 1885. These students 

 brought with them new ideas and methods 

 and inspiration that have been important 

 factors in the usefulness of the laboratory. 



Upon the death of Professor Baird, in 

 1887, G. Brown Goode was made commis- 

 sioner pro tempore. He, indeed, was the 

 logical successor of Professor Baird, but 

 preferred to remain at the head of the Na- 

 tional Museum. In the meantime the law 

 had been changed, so far as to make the 

 office of conamissioner a salaried office. 

 Colonel Marshall McDonald was appointed 



commissioner in 1888. He served until 

 his death in 1895. Captain J. J. Brice 

 of the Navy was made commissioner 

 in 1896, Mr. Herbert A. Gill being acting 

 commissioner in the interval. Captain 

 Brice served until 1898, when he was suc- 

 ceeded by George M. Bowers, who served 

 for nearly as long a term as that of Pro- 

 fessor Baird 's. During Mr. Bowers 's term 

 of office the commission ceased to be inde- 

 pendent. It became a bureau, first in the 

 Department of Commerce and Labor, then 

 in the Department of Commerce. In 1913 

 Dr. Hugh M. Smith, long associated with 

 the commission, and for some years deputy 

 commissioner, succeeded Commissioner 

 Bowers, and is the present commissioner. 



In all the time from 1871 to the present, 

 with the exception of the brief administra- 

 tion of Captain Brice, every encouragement 

 has been given to scientific investigation at 

 the Woods Hole Laboratory of the Fish 

 Commission. Of the laboratory during the 

 administration of Captain Brice I have no 

 personal knowledge. I have been informed, 

 however, that then, for a time, at least, 

 scientific work was virtually suspended, and 

 would have ceased entirely but for the 

 vigorous insistence of Professor Alexander 

 Agassiz on the right of Harvard University 

 to occupy tables in the laboratory. Thanks, 

 therefore, to these compacts, which, I think, 

 Professor Baird somewhat regretted had 

 been entered into, the work of scientific in- 

 vestigation at the Woods Hole Laboratory 

 of the Fish Commission has not been seri- 

 ously interrupted from its inception under 

 Professor Baird to the present time. 



Prior to 1885 the laboratory was on the 

 lighthouse wharf on Little Harbor in the 

 two-story building which had been refitted, 

 the second story added, with outside stairs 

 on the north side. Professor Baird lived in 

 the house which stands just east of the one 

 occupied by Miss Sarah Fay. As I re- 



