A Marine Laboratory. 59 



A MARINE LABORATORY. 



(From San Diego Union, Sept. 8, 1890 ) 



One of the institutions for which the Pacific Coast stands in ur- 

 gent need is a marine biological laboratory, for the prosecution of 

 original investigations and for study of marine life. The fauna of 

 the Pacific waters of the United States is very little known, and 

 the facilities for work in this direction at present in existence are 

 practically none. 



On the Pacific Coast, from Alaska to Cape Horn, the labors of 

 the systematic zoologist are by no means at an end. New spe- 

 cies and forms of life are almost daily observable in our waters, 

 and in no portion of the coast region reterred to are there greater 

 opportunities for the prosecution of this work than at San Diego. 



San Diego stands next to Monterey in the number of recorded 

 lorms of marine life. Our San Diego fauna, I believe, has of late 

 years found to possess even a greater variety of marine life than 

 Monterey. The San Diego fauna possesses additional advan- 

 tages, however, in not only having a fair admixture of northern 

 types, but in also yielding a large number of forms belonging to 

 the warmer waters to the southward. 



In the vicinity of San Diego there are two localities every 

 way adapted to the needs of a biological station. One of these is 

 at La Playa, on the west side of San Diego Bay, near the en- 

 trance to the harbor. At La Playa a great diversity of conditions 

 of the beach exist — such as shingly and sandy beaches, rocks and 

 clayey shales adapted to the requirements of the burrowing mol- 

 lusks, and broad stretches of sand and mud to the northward. 



[The other locality adapted to the needs of a marine zoological 

 laboratory especially, is a point on False Bay, between Pacific 

 and Ocean Beaches, which from its proximity to the San Diego 

 College of Letters, at Pacific Beach should be easily established 

 and equipped by friends of that institution. This could be done 

 without financial loss to any party, and with very material gain to 

 San Diego interests. Of the two stations mentioned, La Playa 

 is preferable, however.] 



The subject was recently brought before the California Academy 

 of Sciences at San Francisco, by Mrs. R. S. Eigenmann, and 

 among all the places suggested for such an institution, San Diego 

 was mentioned as the most desirable location. San Diego 

 should not be backward in utilizing the natural advantages which 

 she possesses. The establishment of such an institution would 

 mark an important era in the history of education not only in San 

 Diego, but on the whole Pacific Coast. To fully present its claims 

 upon the public for the benefits which a marine biological labora- 

 tory would confer, would occupy more space than is at my dis- 

 posal, and can best be understood by actual observation of it in 

 operation. C. R. Orcutt. 



