MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 7 



become a cumbrous machine difficult of management. Duplication 

 in all directions would soon become necessary, and the advantages 

 of a compact and easily controlled laboratory would be lost. 



Were it possible for each University to use its resources in 

 connection with the facilities for advanced work available at the 

 Laboratory of the Fish Commission at Wood's Hole, a maximum 

 amount of original work might be expected. For no University 

 laboratory can hope to obtain the facilities accruing from the 

 maintenance of the fleet of small boats, steamers, and personnel 

 which forms a necessary part of the equipment of the Fish Com- 

 mission Station. Such an alliance, however, can only be formed 

 provided an equitable agreement, and one satisfactory to the Fish 

 Commission, could be made. This would enable the Universities 

 to foster original work only, and not to expend, as they do now, 

 their resources or the time of their instructors in elementary work. 



The mere collecting of material for ordinary investigation at a 

 marine station is not expensive, but it is expensive to carry on the 

 continuous observations of eminent specialists, and subsequently 

 to publish their investigations. Such observations could well 

 be carried on in connection with the work of a Government Fish 

 Commission, and are not only germane to its investigations, but 

 all-important to their success. Still more expensive is it to settle 

 the many problems in thalassography which have arisen in conse- 

 quence of the more recent deep-sea explorations, — problems which 

 require for their solution the use of steamers thoroughly equipped 

 for their task. This can be most successfully accomplished either 

 by special explorations, or more naturally in the course of time in 

 connection with the problems of a Fish Commission. 



The number of visitors to the Museum Exhibition Rooms con- 

 tinues to increase, the attendance on Sundays specially having 

 become most gratifying. This marked increase is no doubt 

 owing in part to the opening of the Botanical and Mineralogical 

 Museums, and in part to the fact that the Museum is open daily 

 nearly the whole day, and not merely at specified times during the 

 week. It would greatly add to the usefulness of the collection to 

 the public, were the Museum able to appoint guides who would at 

 certain times pass through the exhibition rooms and explain the 

 more interesting features of the collection to a limited number of 

 visitors. This is accomplished to a certain extent for school chil- 

 dren who visit the Museum with their teachers. 



