The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-11
S1UDrING SEA LIFE
An Observatory for tho Investigation or
Marine Bioiopy In the West Indies.

An Observatory for tho Investigation OF
Marine Bioiopy In the West Indies.
meeting OF the patrons OF science and sci-
entinc mon was hold In London early this
month. to confer upon tho feasibility of cstab-
fishing an observatory Of marine biology at
Jamaica. In eommemoration OF tho fourth con-
tenary OF the discovery OF America The Earl
OF hosse moved the first resolution. which was
that an observatory Of marine biology in the
tropical seas Is necessary for the development
OF science" 1t was also the opinion OF the
meeting that no tropical sen promises so rich
O harvest OF biological specimens as the
great. Rulf OF tho West indies md
that Jamaica was the most central and
suitable station for such IN observatory.
Jamaica will furnish tho site for the observa-
tory. and In othor ways promote the interests
OF the work. Steps arc now being taken in
England to raise the money required for the
enterprise. and thcre is every prospect that
this addition to the resources for sclentiflc
observation will before long DO provided.
The meeting gave voice to wel.recosnized
fact In asserting that an observatory OF
marine biology In tropical sens Is necessary
Tor the development OF science. 1t is impossi-
bic on board scientific exploring vessel no
matter how well she Is fitted. properly to
study the delicate organisms that are brought
up from the bottom or caught by the towing
not. Many Of these animals like the Jelly
fishes and scores OF allied forms. can be pre-
served in condition f1t for study only few
hours. The larger number Of the tropical
marine animals die II removed from their ma
tive waters. With tho establishment OF a lab
1rntory where these objects OF study originate
be- IT, to I the
ing needles and the microscope
,seiehtlilc men now appreciate moro than ever
the Importance OF this sort Of work. for science
has advanced so far that the study OF tho de-
yelopment OF an animal ia considered quite as
IMPORTANT as acquaintance with its external
structure and its Internal anatomy. Biologists
now now desire TO trace an animal from the egg to
Into its pedigree which could not otherwise be
Obtained. and frequently establish its relation
shlp TO the extinct species whose fossils wo
nnd embedded In the earth's crust. Corals,
not be properly investigated at many hours
distance from the places In which they live.
Another reason why 1t is highly desirable to
establish q biological station at Jamaica. is
more than half explored. and is Of extreme
interest Mari ne naturaists say that not a
dredge can be hauled In that region without
Us contents displaying some little known.
Field; IN recent number Of the Johns Hop
kins University circulars. says that he found
IN and about tho keys at the mouth Of Kings
ton harbor. Jamaica. no less than twenty-eiGht
the surface was wonderfully rich in all those
lnrval forms. which 1t would be one Of the
principal objects OF the investigators in O
=, The latest dredGings of the Blake in the
West Indian region increased tho few crus-
tacea then known by no loss than forty new
genera and $50 new species. while All forms
were added to the lists by the ar i, Of this
single expedition.