208 



the Station be of no expense to the University. At the end of the season the Uni- 

 versity paid for some of the apparatus specially designed for the Station, which 

 thus became the permanent property of the University. In order to defray ex- 

 penses, a series of courses in elementary and advanced instruction were offered 

 and given. Each one of the advanced students and the instructors took charge of 

 some particular work of the survey. The preliminary reports of some of these, 

 form part oi this first report. The work was distributed as follows : 



C. H. Eigenmann, Director. 



W. J. Moenkhaus, Variations in Etheostoma. 

 F. M. Chamberlain, Variations in Lepomis. 

 J. H. Voris, Variations in Pimephales. 



D. C. Ridgley, Physical Survey and Variations in Micropterus. 

 Bessie C. Ridgley, Variations in Labidesthes. 



Thom. Large, Physical Suryey and Variations in Fundulus. 



Chancy Juday, Physical Survey and Planktonist. 



Curtis Atkinson, Variations in Batrachians. 



H. G. Reddick, Variations in Reptiles. 



O. M. Meincke, Botanist. 



J. P. Dolan, Meteorologist. 



The work of but few has progressed far enough to justify even "forlaufige'' 

 notices. We have but just begun our work, and the Station will remain at least 

 three years longer at the same place. Excursions were made to lakes Tippecanoe, 

 Webster, and Shoe in the Mississippi basins. 



While much of this report is taken up with the physical features of the lake, 

 and the enumeration of the inhabitants, it must be borne in mind that the phy- 

 sical studies are merely a means to an end. That however interesting in them- 

 selves, to us they are only interesting as far as they form part of the environment 

 of the highest creatures making the lake their permanent home. It may even be 

 that some of the things considered or to be considered, form in reality no part of 

 the environment of the vertebrates, i. e., that they in no way affect them, but 

 this is a matter that must be determined, and for the present we must consider as 

 many things as may influence them. The things probably most directly influenc- 

 ing the higher forms to be found in a lake are light, temperature and food. The 

 last item is again conditioned as the highest forms are, so that nothing short of a 

 complete understanding of the conditions will be sufficient. A lake seemed to me 

 the ideal place because here the changes due to light, temperature, change of 

 water or surface are reduced to the minimum to be found in this latitude. A 



