MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 89 
who appreciate nature, have now become of special impor- 
tance in the philosophy of Biology since Darwin showed 
how much centres around the problem of the ‘‘ Origin of 
Species.” Now that we are beginning to understand how 
little a species or variety is, and yet at the same time how 
much of world-wide importance the differentiation of these 
sets of individuals implies, the work of the “field natural- 
ist ’’—if inspired by the true scientific spirit and regulated 
by due caution—acquires a new meaning and a real value. 
The Biologist cannot afford to despise any line of enquiry. 
All accurate observations have their use, and may at any 
time prove of great importance by illustrating some theor- 
etical question and taking their place in the elucidation 
of the system of nature which we see around us and of 
which we form a pavrt. 
In conclusion i may state that the Committee are now 
trying in various ways to add to the facilities for work at 
the Biological Station in view of the coming Spring and 
Summer. A few useful books of reference and monographs 
on British animals are being collected to form a small 
working library, extra dredges, tow-nets, and other col- 
lecting apparatus, small aquaria and vessels, and supplies 
of various kinds, are now being laid in, so that the 
conditions for work in the laboratory may be reasonably 
expected to be much more favourable in the future than 
they were last summer. Then it may be pointed out— 
perhaps after our association with Puffin Island it is 
necessary to emphasize this—that at Port Hrin there is 
the comfortable Bellevue Hotel, and other hotels, and 
lodgings of all kinds, at which students can live; and 
finally the Biological Station is open to lady-students as 
well as to men, and the neighbourhood is one which, taken 
along with the presence of the laboratory, and dredging 
