532 
for the past season, but these belated fees, 
amounting last year to several hundred 
dollars, it has been the custom to reserve 
to cover the expenses of opening the Labora- 
tory the following season. 
conditions it was impossible to plan to open 
the Laboratory until funds were secured to 
cover the deficit, and Dr. Whitman was so 
informed. The Laboratory had, in addition, 
a debtof about $5,500. After several months 
the $398.59 used by Dr. Whitman was re- 
stored to the treasury by a payment made for 
that purpose by Mr. Nunn. The trustees ap- 
plied all the fees they could collect to cover 
the deficit and finally raised in Boston 
$1,144, and thereupon immediately made 
public announcement of the opening of the 
Laboratory. 
Dr. Whitman, who was the cause of 
these difficulties, and therefore of the delay 
in issuing the announcement for 1897, 
blamed the trustees not only for their con- 
servatism, but also for that delay and for 
the appointment of a Bursar, which his de- 
ficiencies had rendered indispensable. 
A written offer was received in April, 
1897, from Mr. L. L. Nunn, of Telluride, 
Colorado, a brother-in-law of the Director 
and one of the trustees of the Laboratory 
since January, 1896. This offer substanti- 
ally was as follows : 
Mr. Nunn offered to pay the deficit in the 
running expenses at Wood’s Holl for the 
season of 1897, after devoting towards the 
payment of such expenses all proceeds ob- 
tained from the operations at Wood’s Holl. 
These running expenses did not include in- 
surance, interest on the debt, or the ex- 
penses of the Treasurer’s office. The offer 
was made upon the condition that Dr. Whit- 
man directed the Laboratory in accordance 
with his best judgment and that Mr. Allen, 
‘or some other person acceptable to me’ 
(Ma. Nunn’s words), be employed as Assist- 
ant Treasurer at Wood’s Holl. Mr. Nunn 
made himself responsible only for expenses 
SCIENCE. 
Under these 
[N.S. Von. VI. No. 145. 
incurred with consent of said Assistant 
Treasurer or himself. 
It is to be noted that Mr. Nunn offered 
an uncertain amount and made no promise 
of subsequent assistance, but did state ex- 
pressly to the trustees, at a meeting, that 
no large gift could be expected from him. 
As the acceptance of this offer was condi- 
tional on the discharge of the Bursar al- 
ready engaged by the trustees, and as the 
trustees did not consider it wise to relin- 
quish all responsibility, even for a limited 
time, to one of their number, Mr. Nunn’s 
proposition was declined by a recorded vote 
of nine to one, and the decision was com- 
municated to him by the Treasurer in the 
following terms : 
; April 15th, 1897. 
L. L. Nunn, Esq., 
Dear Sir : 
I have your letter of April 9th from Provo, 
Utah, enclosing draft of your offer to the Trustees of 
the Marine Biological Laboratory. 
The Trustees, after giving your generous offer care- 
ful consideration since your visit to Boston, and after 
a meeting at which the subject was fully discussed, 
were with one exception of the opinion that it would 
not be compatible with their duties as Trustees of the 
Laboratory, to resign into the hands of Dr. Whit- 
man the entire direction of its policy, even though 
guaranteed by you against any financial loss during 
the coming season. 
Your first letter and draft were never received by 
me ; I presume they miscarried in the mail, and your 
second letter did not arrive until after the meeting, 
but I do not find anything in it which materially dif- 
fered from the proposition as originally made to the 
Trustees by word of mouth. I shall transmit your 
letter and offer to the Secretary, in order that they 
may be submitted to the Trustees at their next meet- 
ing, but I think we may regard the matter as defi- 
nitely settled without awaiting further action. 
Personally, I believe that the decision of the Trus- 
tees was a necessary one ; at the same time, I confess 
to great reluctance in foregoing on behalf of the 
Laboratory your generous assistance, and we must cer- 
tainly all be very grateful to you for the interest you 
have taken in our project. 
Yours truly, 
LAURENCE MInor. 
4. The customary summer meeting of the 
