724 
Tt would appear an urgent need that 
adequate endowment should be supplied 
for the maintenance of this splendid insti- 
tution at the high degree of efficiency of 
which it is so capable. ‘ 
Epwin B. Frost. 
THE ALUMNI BIOLOGICAL EXPEDITION OF 
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY TO THE 
BERMUDAS. 
Tur archipelago of the Bermudas was 
chosen as the ground for the first expedi- 
tion of the Biological Department of the 
University for several reasons, among them 
the following: the means of communication, 
by the steamships of the Quebec 8. S. Co., 
was easy ; they seemed to afford a tropical 
marine fauna in abundance for study ; they 
were free from the malarious diseases of the 
West Indies, the fatality of which was so 
sadly proved this summer in the expedition 
to Jamaica, and it seemed worth while to 
investigate the conditions under which a 
station might be established for permanent 
research. 
Thanks to a number of alumni who made 
liberal contributions to the enterprise, the 
party left New York for Hamilton on June 
3d. The party consisted of Dr. C. L. Bristol, 
in charge; Mr. Warren H. Everett, instruc- 
tor, and Messrs. Brush, Carpenter, Brown, 
Rosenthal and Grose, of the University; 
Dr. Walter M. Rankin, of Princeton Uni- 
versity, and Dr. Tarleton H. Bean, late of 
the U. S. Fish Commission and now Direc- 
tor of the Aquarium in New York City. 
The party was joined later by Mr. Ernest 
Haycock, of Harvard University. The last 
of the party arrived in New York on August 
8th. Headquarters were established at the 
Harrington House, about six miles from 
Hamilton and situated on the narrow strip 
of land separating Harrington Sound from 
Castle Harbor. A vacant house near the 
shore of Castle Harbor was transformed 
into a comfortable laboratory, and from this 
SCIENCE. 
[N.S. Vou. VI. No. 150. 
as a center trips were made in various di- 
rections. 
The most attention was given to a search 
for the various forms and a careful survey 
of the general conditions subtending their 
abundance and collection, so that, taken as a 
whole, the work might prove a reconnais- 
sance and furnish knowledge for future in- 
vestigations. In this the expedition was 
fairly suecessful and would have been much 
more so but for a long spell of southwest 
wind which prevented off-shore work, ex- 
cepting for a few days. One instance of 
this may be given. Captain Meyers, of St. 
Georges, very kindly put his large ocean-go- 
ing tug and a diver at our disposal to go to 
North Rock, and for a whole week we 
waited before a favorable morning came, 
but on that day, just as we arrived at the 
collecting ground, a heavy wind prevented 
any serious work. Our work was confined 
mainly to the lee shores and here we were 
greatly rewarded. Of corals the genera 
Diploria, Meandrina, Astrea, Siderastrea, Po- 
rites, Isophyllia, Oculina and Mycedium were 
found; of gorgonians, Rhipidogorgia and 
Gorgonia. The Actinaria are very abun- 
dant and our collections are numerous. 
We found but few hydroids and a mille- 
spore coral. The Medusee and Hydro-Me- 
dusze are very abundant in the still waters 
of Harrington Sound. The Hchinoderms 
are exceedingly interesting and abundant. 
The Holothuria are.represented by the gen- 
era Holothwria, Semperia, Stichopus, the last 
being very abundant. The Asteroidea are 
few and are represented by one species of 
Asterias and one of a new genus not yet 
determined ; the Ophiuroidea by several 
genera. The Echinoidea are represented 
by Cidaris, Diadema, Hippone, Echinometra, 
Toxopneustes, Mellita and one new genus. 
The Crustacea are numerous and exceed- 
ingly interesting. Our collections will be 
studied by Dr. Rankin, who will report on 
them later. 
