New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-20

TWELFTH YEAR OF WORK AT THE
CLEARING HOUSE OF SCIENTISTS.

y
Woods Hole MAJ, Aug. 12.-The Marine BIO
logical Laboratory at Woods Hole, Mass Is 'his
season Illustrating its right 20 the name Dy
which t- sometimes been known The Gear
;,,. ~ .... If Scientists" For sooner or later,
Tho prominent workers in science are sure u
arrrar here. and seldom does one escape with
out q demonstration Of the trend OF MS Woik
by one or more public lectures. This is the
twelfth year Of work at this laboratory Whch
&c the lircal descendant. at ieast in methods OF
the school Of Agassiz at Ponkese, in that IN
structors and students come il the spirit OF
the Aeaeeiz notices "Not afraid to say 90
not know" and ITO study Nature, not books.
Three dorartmcnts are recognized: Zoology,
in charge Of DR.. Whitman, tho director OF the
laboratory. and head professor Of zoology III
Chicago University; physiology, under the Ill
rection Of Dr.. Loeb and botany. the latest al
ferentiated DEPARTMENT conducted by DR.. DAVIS
also Of Chicago University. These mon are as
sisted by prominent instructors both men an"
women. from the different colleges and uni
vorsities.
The student body includes three grades Of
workers: Those in classes, carrying out pre-
scribed course Of work under instruction; those
beginning investigation under direction and
investigators doing individual work, usually
with reference to publication. The last two
classes have the use Of private tables or private
rooms costing $50 or 500, respectively, which
expense in many cases is met by the college
the investigator represents. There are at pres
ent about eighty students and more than nall
as many investigators The Board Of Instruct
ors numbers thirty more.
The general air Of peacefulnoss and freedom
from conventionality in the old town makes it
a restful place for summer. Its water sur
roundinCs making a land breeze almost impos-
sibe. keep the air uniformly cool and silmu-
latnG; the roads about are fine for wheeling
the boating and bathing are eXcellcnt-all these
factors serve to remove from work at Woods
Hole many objections to the ordinary summer
school The region is rich in material for study
and facilities for collecting unusual through
the courtesy Of the United States Fish Com
mission. The students, in the main, board at
a restaurant under the control Of the labora-
tory corporation. known as The Mess" room
ing wherever opportunity is offered in the town,
where "the bug hunters" the students are
known 10y the townsfolk, are very welcome.
Many do light housekeeping, which is bccom-
ing from year to year more popular and some
Of the instructors are building cottages. sat
urdays ar given up to excursions and no lect-
uras are offered. The main excursion Of thu
year is to Pcnikcse the birthplace Of summer
laboratories. The island is now set apart as
nesting place for terms where they are pro-
tec,od by strict game laws The one house on
thc island is occupied by the game warden.
one Of the attractions of the town is the
grounds Of Dr. Whitman whore are all varieties
Of pigeons for purposes of special investigation
These birds make the journey to Chicago and
back with the family each year. The result
OF study of the pigeons is one of the most IN
tercstirlf; lectures Of each season.
The evening lectures are many and have been
OF exceeding interest, more or less popular, ac-
eOrding to the subject They are free to all.
Or. Douglass Campbell. from Leland Stanford,
Jr. University, showed from the most recent
Investigations the line Of evolution Of the higher
.ryptogams. and Dr. McDougal. of Columbia.