No. 378.] BIOLOGICAL STATIONS OF AMERICA. 303 
existence in some of the states in question of natural history 
surveys under the patronage of the state has in a few instances 
been the means of furnishing the funds for the conduct of these 
enterprises. The fundamental reason, however, for the biologi- 
cal station movement is neither a mere local demand nor an 
opportune opening, but a deep-seated purpose on the part of 
the men who stand as sponsors for the stations, to extend 
biological exploration, to increase the facilities for, and raise 
the standard of, biological instruction in their respective states, 
and finally and principally to contribute in some substantial way 
to the solution of some of the fundamental problems of biology, 
as, for example, the problem of variation, or the cecology of a 
river system. 
Aside from the three stations noticed at length in this article, 
whose past history and material equipment entitle them to 
recognition as permanent institutions, there have been other 
enterprises which have done the work of a biological station, 
though not formally organized as such. The fortunate situation 
of the University of Wisconsin upon the shores of Lake Mendota, 
rendering unnecessary the establishment of an independent out- 
post, has made it possible for Professor Birge to carry on for 
several years past a series of connected observations upon the 
Crustacea of the plankton. The results of this work— a credit 
to any biological station— have been published by the Wisconsin 
Academy of Sciences.! The work of exploration in this state 
will be continued elsewhere during the present summer under 
the auspices of the State Survey. 
The Michigan Fish Commission for several years carried on 
a biological examination of many of the smaller lakes of the 
state. Professor Reighard, of the University of Michigan, was 
in charge of the work, and in 1893 made a more thorough and 
Systematic survey of Lake St. Clair. In 1894 a biological 
€xamination of the northern end of Lake Michigan was made 
by a party in charge of Dr. H. B. Ward. The results of these 
explorations have appeared from time to time in the Bulletin 
of the Commission. The work upon the Great Lakes will be 
resumed this summer under the auspices of the United States 
1 See review in this journal, No. 376, pp. 282-284. 
