THE ZOOLOGICAL STATION AT NAPLES 211 
whenever a fisherman finds a strange or curious creature he carefully 
brings it to the zoological station, sure of ready purchase in an institu- 
tion that uses every agency for the advancement of the knowledge of 
the life of the sea. 
The opening of the zoological station in 1874, realized the dream of 
Anton Dohrn of a laboratory for marine biological investigation, and 
now, in the high development of this institution, we mourn the death 
of its creator, which occurred on the twenty-sixth of September, 1909. 
Dohrn himself tells in an article in the Preuszische Jahrbiicher for 
1872, how, during his travels to various European coasts, the necessity 
was impressed upon him for the erection of marine laboratories suitably 
equipped for research. In October, 1868, after a journey to Scotland 
rendered disappointing by bad weather, Dohrn sought the rich faunal 
region of lower Italy and Sicily where Johannes Miiller and his stu- 
dents had been pioneers in marine zoology. Fully realizing that such 
an institution as he planned does not spring into being completely 
formed by generatio equivoca, but rather develops like an organism, 
Dohrn began to collect money for the erection in Messina of a building 
which should contain rooms for investigation and also an aquarium for 
the entertainment of the public. The next step, in January, 1870, was 
to change the plan so as to locate in Naples where the larger numbers of 
tourists and citizens would justify a great aquarium, not only for 
popular education but as a substantial aid in support of the scientific 
work of the institution. In the Deutsche Rundschau for 1892, Dohrn 
tells the story of the preliminary work necessary to enlist the interest 
and support of the Prussian ministry and the government of Naples. 
Overcoming difficulties and interferences that would have utterly dis- 
couraged a less enthusiastic and steadfast nature and valiantly taking 
his patriotic part in the Franco-Prussian war, it was not until June, 
1872, that a contract with the city authorities was executed for the 
erection by Dr. Dohrn of a building for the zoological station. The 
original contract has since been modified, so that now the station occu- 
pies 4,000 square meters of ground in the Villa Nazionale and is to 
remain in the possession of the Dohrn family for ninety years, then 
reverting to the city of Naples, unless otherwise provided for. 
While devoting his own life and his estate to the building up of a 
great central station for marine biology in Naples, Dohrn urged the 
necessity for similar stations in all lands, to release investigators from 
the troubles and expenses otherwise involved. These advantages he 
especially desired for the young men fresh from the university, who 
might thus increase their powers, widen their knowledge and enlarge 
their general point of view. If it be possible to remain free from the 
pressing necessities of life for four or five years, such a young man 
could demonstrate whether he really had the call to be an investigator. 
The work would necessitate the wearisome uncovering of the smallest 
