May 12, 1905.] 



SCIENCE. 



733 



net and sixteen rectangulai* glass aquaria 

 of graded sizes. Two large concrete 

 aquaria also were constructed and fitted 

 with heating apparatus to be used for ob- 

 servations on the effect temperature may 

 have on the structure and development of 

 a species. 



Early in the season letters were sent to 

 more than a hundred American zoologists 

 asking them to send their publications, past 

 and future, to the library. In response to 

 these letters several hundred reprints of 

 scientific papers were received, which, 

 added to the publications of the Bureau of 

 Fisheries and the National Museum al- 

 ready on hand, make a valuable part of the 

 equipment. 



ECONOMIC AND SCIENTIFIC WOKK CARRIED ON 

 BY THE LABORATORY. 



The several lines of fishery experiment 

 work which have been in operation in con- 

 nection with the laboratory for several 

 years were continued and enlarged during 

 this season.* Several weeks during the 

 summer were spent by Mr. R. E. Coker 

 (custodian of the laboratory) in Pamlico 

 Sound in connection with the experiments 

 in oyster culture. The progress of this 

 work is best seen from the report by Cas- 

 well Grave, now in press, and from the 

 paper by Mr. R. E. Coker on 'Private 

 Oyster-planting in North Carolina,' also 

 in press. Many new experimental oyster 

 beds were made and will be the subject of 

 further observation. 



The growing importance of the clam 

 (Venus mercenaria) with the development 

 of the canning and bedding industries, has 

 suggested an inquiry into the habits, 

 growth and propagation of this form. 

 Accordingly, during the preceding spring 

 experiments were begun under the direc- 

 tion of Mr. Coker and these were continued 



* The North Carolina Geological Survey coop- 

 erates with the Bureau of Fisheries in these inves- 

 tigations. 



in operation and extended. Arrangements 

 have been made for their continuance dur- 

 ing the remainder of the fiscal year, 



Mr. Coker continued his study of diver- 

 sity in the scutes of chelonia, obtaining 

 some material for the further study of 

 correlation in the scutes and bony plates. 

 The forms studied were chiefly the dia- 

 mond-back terrapin {Malaclemmys cen- 

 trata Latr. and Thallasoechelys casetta), 

 but observations were made on a few other 

 species. 



The work which is more definitely iden- 

 tified with the summer sessions of the labo- 

 ratory consists in extended observations on 

 the natural history of the various species 

 representing certain groups of animals and 

 plants. Notes on the following points con- 

 cerning each species are collected and cata- 

 logued: Relative numbers, habitat, food, 

 feeding habits, breeding time, breeding 

 habits, character of eggs, young, migra- 

 tions, local varieties, etc. Specimens of 

 each species are collected and preserved 

 and placed in the laboratory collection. As 

 a final result of this work it is intended 

 that reports on each group shall be pre- 

 pared for publication, with descriptions of 

 each species, and illustrations embodying 

 the local observations which have been 

 made. The special assistants who carry on 

 this work are teachers of biology or gradu- 

 ate students in various institutions who 

 have either specialized in or are especially 

 interested at present in the groups in hand. 

 •The groups which were studied this season 

 were the sponges, marine algge, Crustacea, 

 actinozoa, fishes and eehinoderms. 



The work on the Beaufort sponges was 

 begun this season by H. V. Wilson, pro- 

 fessor of biology in the University of North 

 Carolina. In addition to a study of the 

 structural characters and natural history 

 of each species he began a series of experi- 

 ments on the effect of altered temperature 

 and density on the habits of growth, struc- 



