1882.] 11 [Annual Meeting. 



the sphere of influence which it reaches through them, are the 

 only true standards by which its present and future usefulness 

 can be properly measured. Nearly all the pupils were persons 

 who could be termed "well educated"; nevertheless they were, 

 with the exception of some who had already worked in the 

 laboratory or field, entirely unable to obtain knowledge with their 

 own eyes and hands, and had even acquired a notion that this 

 was not possible for anybody except the trained scientist. 

 Several of these teachers after their work was finished expressed 

 their gratefulness for the new powers the course had developed 

 in themselves, and the fascinating f)leasures they had experienced 

 in learning to use their own eyes and hands in the study of things 

 hitherto unapproachable for their uncultivated senses, except 

 through the deceptive meditation of books. When it is remem- 

 bered that these teachers influence and mould the minds of thou- 

 sands of young persons, it is at the same time proved, that what 

 this laboratory has done and can do is not to be estimated by the 

 number of its own pupils. 



The sum contributed by the Woman's Education Association, 

 four hundred dollars, by no means represents the whole of their 

 work in this connection, since their committee assisted us in mat- 

 ters of a practical description, such as the distribution of circu- 

 lars and providing suitable boarding places for students, the last 

 difficulty being by far the greatest of those we have had to 

 contend with in this new enterprise. We also owe our thanks 

 to Mr. Geo. J. Marsh, of Gloucester, for the remission of the rent 

 upon the building occupied by the Laboratory. It is gratifying, 

 also, to be able to announce that the Woman's Education Associa- 

 tion have been pleased with the result of their experiment, and 

 propose to support the Laboratory for the coining summer. In 

 fact the circulars announcing their intention and similar to the 

 one above quoted, have already been issued. They have also 

 gone a step farther and generously given us an important addi- 

 tion to the apparatus, a wind-mill for pumping sea water. This 

 will enable us to offer additional opportunities for the study of 

 living animals kept in aquaria, and also essentially facilitate the 

 work of making a higher class of observations and original 

 investigations. 



