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very long time, ca. one hour being generally ampie time for making 
a good haul. Accordingly it should be possible in the course of 
some 3—4 hours to bring the living specimens of abyssal animals 
home to the laboratory, where they may then be studied under 
favourable conditions. I do not think that any place in the world, 
excepting, perhaps, the Sagami Sea at Japan, can offer such facilities 
to the biological study of the deep-sea animals. 
To this may be added many other advantages. The shallow 
water fauna is exceedingly rich and varied; there are fine and 
extensive coral reefs and a very interesting littoral fauna. Then 
the quality of the water is excellent, as might be expected in a 
place like this, where the land consists of raised coral formation, 
and where currents sweep along the shores. It is true, I have made 
only a single experiment in raising a culture of Echinoderm larvæ, 
as I could not afford the time necessary for such work. But this 
single experiment was so decidedly a success — in marked contra- 
distinction to the numerous unsuccessful attempls at Ambon — that 
I cannot have the slightest doubt that here conditions would be 
quite ideal for such experimental work. 
The climate and health conditions are good. There is regular 
communication (for the present twice a month) with Java, by means of 
excellent, comfortable mailboats. A radio station is planned. Further 
there is excellent communication with the adiacent Islands, the Aru- 
and Tenimber Islands, New Guinea, as also with Banda, Amboina and 
Ceram. This implies that a laboratory at the Kei Islands might, 
as far as the terrestrial flora and fauna is concerned, become a 
central Institution for the scientific investigation of the whole of the 
Southern part of the Moluccan region. Also as regards the marine 
investigations it is, of course, not the intention that they should be 
confined to the nearest neighbourhood of Doe Roa. I have pointed 
out the special advantage of having a rich supply of genuine deep-sea 
forms, very easily accessible, so close to this place, this faet im- 
plying a. o. that for a beginning a smaller ship would suffice, which 
means again that the expenses need not be very great. But, of 
course, gradually the investigations might be extended to the adja- 
cent areas e. g. the deep basin between Great Kei and the Aru 
Islands, the Arafura Sea and the greater depths of the Banda Sea, 
all these parts offering no end of the most fascinating problems of 
research. 
