Biological Station 



with the fauna of the Great Lakes. Birds, though not as numerous 

 as in many other localities, are sufficiently numerous and the range 

 of their habitats within easy reach of the Station is such that good 

 work can be done. Numerous problems dealing with the ecology 

 of birds, their behavior, and the activities of breeding and nesting 

 birds await attention. A fair proportion of the birds which nest 

 there are known to most ornithologists as migrants only. 



The invertebrate fauna is relatively much richer than the verte- 

 brate fauna. There are many terrestrial and aquatic molluscs and 

 many Crustacea, including the plankton forms. Owing to the preva- 

 lence of sandy soil the number of annelid worms is small. Sponges 

 and bryozoans are fairly common, while Hydra appears at times in 

 countless numbers. Insect life abounds in the varied habitats of the 

 region. 



Parasitism in animals is extremely common. Parasitic worms 

 are abundant both in species and individuals. All the vertebrates 

 which frequent water serve as hosts for parasites, both adult and 

 immature, while the numerous invertebrates yield young stages of 

 many of the worms. Owing to the moderate size of the lake the 

 collection of hosts is easy. With pens, cages, and aquaria now avail- 

 able the study of life-histories by means of feeding experiments is 

 rendered possible. Practically no study has been made of parasitic 

 worms infesting those vertebrates not frequenting water. The par- 

 asitic Protozoa of the region have been but little studied. 



The very fact that the fauna, as pointed out, is not as rich as 

 it is in many places simplifies many of the problems of the zoologist. 

 Here the ecology of aquatic invertebrates may be studied under most 

 excellent conditions. The habitats are almost typical, are readily 

 accessible, and the student is not overwhelmed with the multiplicity 

 and diversity of forms to be found in some localities. 



The attractions of a northern flora, an adequate though not com- 

 plex fauna together with an excellent climate, good conditions for 

 study, freedom from interruptions, freedom from summer visitors, 

 and freedom from the exactions of a university schedule and from 

 the conditions of urban life make the Station a good place for study 

 and research. 



PREPARATION FOR TEACHING 



The courses in Botany and Zoology offer excellent preparation 

 for teaching these subjects in secondary schools and colleges, in 

 Zoology and, to a certain extent, in Botany there is a movement 

 away from the old type studies with especial emphasis upon mor- 

 phology, and a definite trend toward a study of animals and plants 

 as living things bearing certain relations to the places in which they 

 live and forming certain kinds of societies with other living things. 

 It is this latter view of biology which is stressed at the Biological 

 Station, by means of field courses in which actual training in field 

 methods is given. 



