REVIEWS. 



The Biological Stations of Europe. By Charles Atwood Kofoid. United States 

 Bureau of Education Bulletin No. 4, 1910. Illustrated. Pp. xiv-360. 



This bulletin of tlie United States Bureau of Education is a most wel- 

 come and opportune volume. It forms a splendidlj' illustrated book of 

 360 pages, conveniently arranged and indexed. Doctor Kofoid has based 

 his report largel)' upon a personal visitation and investigation of the 

 fresh water and marine biological stations of Eiirope and the results of 

 personal knowledge are plain throughout the work. Every American 

 biologist should possess and make a careful study of this book, not only 

 because of the descriptions and photographs of the stations, with detailed 

 plans of buildings, aquaria, and fixtures ■ which are presented, but also 

 because the practical objects to be attained through biological stations 

 are clearly stated. In the mind of the American public and, it is to be 

 feared, in the minds of most biologists also, biological stations are con- 

 sidered as educational luxuries, not as economic and scientific interests 

 of the nation. If he does not look upon them as pleasant summer resorts 

 for teachers and students, the biologist is still quite apt to consider that 

 they should be laboratories for research in pure science. One does not 

 need to be a prejudiced admirer of all things German in order to recognize 

 the value of the different attitude of the middle European countries 

 toward the function of biological stations : it is in G ermany and Austria- 

 Hungary that they are performing their most noteworthy economic work. 

 Stations for the investigation of pond culture of fishes and crayfish; of 

 river and lake life; of the control and biological utilization of sewage; 

 of the effect of sewage and chemical by-products upon the animals inhabit- 

 ing rivers and for the active control of evils arising from these causes, 

 do not lessen the scientific activities of their workers but rather increase 

 them, by giving definite aims and purposes to the researches. 



According to Doctor Kofoid's report, there exist in Europe 85 biological 

 stations, of which 37 are located on fresh-water. The distribution is worth 

 noting. Italy has 4, France and Monaco 30, Great Britain and Scan- 

 dinavia 13 each, Germany and Austria-Himgary 10 each, Holland and 

 Finland 3 each, Eussia 7, Spain 3, Belgium and Bulgaria 1 each. The 

 disparity between the number of biological stations in Germany and 

 France is superficial, for it must be remembered that Germany is largely 



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