660 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 434. 



It appears to the writer that as the num- 

 ber of persons who will work at a research 

 laboratory is relatively small, richness of 

 fauna and healthfulness of location are 

 probably of more importance than acces- 

 sibility. 



Ideal conditions for a laboratory can 

 not be found in the tropical Atlantic. 



The mainland Florida coast is infested 

 with mosquitoes in summer, and its pelagic 

 life is relatively poor. The climatic con- 

 ditions and healthfulness of the Antilles 

 are not of the best, while their marine 

 fauna is probably inferior to that of the 

 Bahamas or Tortugas. They possess, how- 

 ever, a restricted but interesting land 

 fauna and flora. 



The Bahamas lie upon the windward 

 side of the Gulf Stream, and on this ac- 

 count their pelagic life is probably poorer 

 than that of the Tortugas. 



The Tortugas are relatively inaccessible, 

 but here we find very pure ocean water, 

 a relatively cool climate, a long period of 

 remarkably calm weather during the late 

 spring and summer, healthfulness due to 

 isolation, and few mosquitoes. The last- 

 named advantage will be appreciated by 

 all who have attempted to live upon the 

 Florida coast or the West Indies in 

 summer. 



Were a research laboratory to be estab- 

 lished under the auspices of the Carnegie 

 Institution, it might seem advantageous to 

 found it in cooperation with such of our 

 leading universities and colleges as are 

 granting the doctorate for original re- 

 search. As a tentative proposition, each 

 college might contribute at least $150 an- 

 nually for each student which it might 

 send to the laboratory, thereby gaining 

 the privilege of nominating students, who, 

 subject to the approval of the Carnegie 

 Institution, should be given free use of all 

 facilities of the laboratory for the purpose 



of carrying out some definite research 

 work. The traveling expenses of this 

 student should be paid by the laboratory 

 and his research should be published in a 

 suitable manner with illustrations. The 

 proper maintenance of such a laboratory 

 would require an assured annual income 

 of at least $10,000. It would be better to 

 abandon the project than to attempt to 

 carry it out with inadequate equipment 

 and income. 



In conclusion, it should be stated that 

 the sole aim of the present writer is to 

 focus the interest of the country upon this 

 project; he desires no ofScial connection 

 with the laboratory, but speaks merely as 

 one of at least forty-three zoologists who 

 are interested in the project. There would 

 appear to be no better medium for a thor- , 

 ough consideration of the subject than the 

 columns of Science, and it is hoped that 

 sufficient interest will be awakened to 

 evoke an active discussion of the project 

 from all points of view. 



The establishment of the Carnegie In- 

 stitution has, in increasing the possibility 

 for the development of research, placed a 

 corresponding responsibility upon each and 

 every man of science. No laboratory 

 should be founded unless our biologists" 

 ardently desire its establishment, and 

 stand ready to avail themselves of its ad- 

 vantages to the fullest extent. 



A. G. Matek. 

 Museum op the Beookltn Institute of 

 Arts and Sciences. 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS. 



I. Experiments on the Effect of Freezing and 

 other low Temperatures upon the Viability 

 of the Bacillus of Typhoid Fever, with con- 

 siderations regarding ice as a vehicle of 

 infectious disease. 



II. Statistical Studies on the Seasonal Prev- 

 alence of Typhoid Fever in Various Coun- 

 tries and its Relation to Seasonal Tempera- 



