714 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXV. No. 64* 



the past Slimmer, as well as those of the two 

 preceding summers. The other groups have 

 heen (or will be) referred to the authorities 

 who have disposed of the dredging material of 

 previous years; and reports are hoped for in 

 time to be incorporated into the published 

 report of the survey. 



It is appropriate that mention should here 

 be made of the loss sustained by the bureau in 

 the death of Lieut. Franklin Swift, U.S.N., 

 for two years commanding officer of the Fish 

 HawTc, who died of typhoid fever at Charles- 

 ton, S. C, on the tenth of November, 1906. 

 Capt. Swift's knowledge of triangulation 

 methods, derived from past experience in the 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey, and from the 

 recent work of the Albatross in Monterey Bay, 

 made him an expert in that particular branch 

 of navigation required in systematic dredging 

 operations. The conscientious accuracy of 

 his methods was felt by all of those who 

 witnessed his work at Woods Hole. 



Report upon the Worh accomplished. — ^It 

 has been thought desirable to bring the present 

 biological survey to a provisional close, and to 

 publish the results of the work already accom- 

 plished. With this in view, the present writer, 

 who has directed the scientific work at the 

 Woods Hole station for the past four summers, 

 has been employed by the bureau to complete 

 these results during the current winter; and a 

 year's leave of absence from college teaching 

 has been granted him for this purpose. A 

 clerk has been detailed, and a scientific assist- 

 ant appointed, in order to facilitate this under- 

 taking. The work is now being carried out at 

 Woods Hole. 



Museum. — The formation of a representa- 

 tive collection of local marine animals was 

 commenced many years ago, though the neces- 

 sity for such a collection has not always re- 

 ceived adequate recognition, and the existing 

 specimens have suffered much from lack of 

 attention. Dr. E. C. Osburn, as acting cura- 

 tor, has recently accomplished much in the 

 way of reorganizing the local museum, and 

 the extensive collecting operations of the past 

 few years have provided much material. The 

 museum now contains a fairly representative 

 set of epecimens which have been authorita- 



tively identified by the various experts assist- 

 ing in the determination of dredging materials 

 It has been decided to fit up two large room* 

 upon the third floor of the laboratory building^ 

 for the reception of these specimens. It is- 

 planned to make this a reference collection of 

 local forms of life, rather than a public dis- 

 play of curiosities. Any one who has felt the 

 need of identifying an unfamiliar species in 

 the course of his biological investigations will 

 realize the utility of such a museum. 



Library. — The library has always proved to 

 be an extremely important adjunct to this 

 laboratory; and its use has not been restricted 

 to investigators here, but has been extended 

 to the whole scientific colony at Woods Hole, 

 The contents of the library have been in part 

 permanent, in part temporary. The perma- 

 nent collection consists for the most part of 

 government reports, and of separates donated' 

 by various authors. In addition to these, how- 

 ever, an extensive collection of standard bio- 

 logical works and periodicals have for a num- 

 ber of seasons past been loaned by the depart- 

 ment of anatomy of Brown University. While 

 greatly appreciating the privilege of using 

 these books, it is felt by the Bureau of Fish- 

 eries that the Woods Hole laboratory should 

 possess a permanent and fairly adequate work- 

 ing library of its own. It is the bureau's in- 

 tention, therefore, to begin the purchase of the 

 more necessary works as soon as funds are 

 available for the purpose. 



Individual Investigations. — Of the thirty- 

 two investigators, nine represented Harvard 

 University; four, Columbia; three each came 

 from Yale University and the CoUege of the 

 City of New York, and two from BrovsTi. The 

 remainder represented thirteen different insti- 

 tutions in the east, west, north and south.' 



For the purposes of the present synopsis, the- 



' In this computation each investigator has been 

 accredited to the institution in which he had' 

 taught or studied during the preceding academic 

 year. Two investigators have been referred to 

 two institutions each. In the ensuing list, on the 

 other hand, that institution has been named to 

 lohich each investigator went at the close of the- 

 summer. 



