seashore what he happens to find. It is impossible to obtain certain stages of growth except at stated seasons, which are not always the time when the seashore is accessible. The value therefore of permanent stations cannot be overestimated. The zoologists in charge will little by little learn the habits of the more common species and by making the materials accessible to special research save an immense amount of time now devoted to exploring the ground. A zoological station on the seashore will become for biology, when fully equipped, the equivalent of first class observatories, and when other stations are established on well selected points along the coasts of different countries we may hope to gain the materials for the solution of many most interesting problems in Natural History which individual exertions could hardly hope to solve.

A better spot than Naples could not have been selected to make a start; rendered classic by the important memoirs which have been published upon the animals of its bay, the student will at once have a guide and models to follow.

May we not hope that the noble example given by Dr. Dohrn will be imitated in this country and that in connection with some of our leading Universities, Practical Schools of Biology will be established, where Professors and Students will find abundant material to pursue their favorite studies? A. AGASSIZ.

The "Spener'sche Zeitung" (Berlin) publishes the following extract from a private letter: - On the narrow strip of coast which separates the park of the Villa Reale from the sea, a large stone building is at present being erected at Naples, quietly and almost unnoticed; at least the Neapolitan press has paid no attention to it. The strength of the foundations—it has taken three months to lay them - shows that they are intended for an edifice of considcrable size and durability, and on making inquiries I have learned that this is the Zoological Station which has been occasionally mentioned by Italian, German and English journals during the last few months. It has been organized and is being built by a young German naturalist, Dr. Anton Dohrn of Stettin, who until a few years ago was a private teacher at the university of Jena. He has paid nearly the whole of the expenses, which amount to about 50,000 thalers (£7500) out of his own pocket, the only assistance he has received having come from a few personal friends, who have lent several thousands of tha ers for the purpose. The following is a short sketch of his plan. The ground floor of the

building, which covers an area of about 8000 sq. ft., contains a great aquarium, which will be opened to the public. Dr. Dohrn hopes that the money thus obtained will not only suffice for all the expenses of the aquarium, but also afford a surplus to be employed in covering a part of the requirements of the upper story, which is to be exclusively devoted to scientific purposes. Besides the officials and servants employed in the aquarium, several young zoologists will be attached to the station and receive a regular salary from the Director, Dr. Dohrn. Thus a number of new positions will be opened up for young scientific men. But this is not all. As the only duty of these zoologists will be to devote themselves to certain branches of scientific work, and their exertions will be carefully directed and organized, as has long been the case in astronomical and meteorological observatories, there is every reason to hope that scientific research will be greatly facilitated and advanced by their labors. In the upper story of the Zoological Station, laboratories will also be prepared for the use of naturalists coming from other parts of Italy and from abroad. For this purpose a large scientific library will be founded, Dr. Dohrn's very considerable private collection serving as a nucleus; and about twelve tables fully furnished with the necessary appurtenances established. Each of the latter will be provided with a number of tanks supplied with a constant stream of sea-water. Sea fishing and dredging will be conducted on an extensive scale by means of several boats to which, if the necessary means are forthcoming, a small steam-yacht wi I be added. The animals taken will be given to the zoologists for scientific treatment. It is more than doubtful, whether all these rich and expensive conveniences can be furnished to zoological visitors without any pecuniary compensation, but I hear that Dr. Dohrn has drawn up a plan which will enable even naturalists of limited means to enjoy the advantages of the Station. He' proposes to offer one or more tables to various Governments and scientific societies for a fixed annual sum. These tables and all the scientific resources of the Station will at once be placed at the disposal of any naturalist who brings a certifi cate from the government, university, or scientific body to which the table has been let. This plan, among its many other advantages. seems to be a successful attempt to solve the difficult question as to how it is possible to unite a complete self-administration on th part of scientific bodies with the reception of pecuniary assistance

from their Governments. Dr. Dohrn speaks in the most grateful manner of the assistance rendered him by the German authorities in Italy, especially by Mr. Stolte, the Consul-General at Naples, while at the same time he warmly acknowledges the interest in his undertaking, displayed by the government of Italy, more particularly by Signor Correnti and Signor Sella, the late and the present minister of Public Instruction. The difficulties in the way of the execution of his plans were neither few nor small, as may be gathered from the fact, that in spite of the readiness displayed by the municipal authorities of Naples, more than two years elapsed before a definitive contract could be concluded between the town and Dr. Dohrn with respect to the cession of a suitable site for the building.

[We are happy to add our testimony to the great value and importance of such a biological station as this. Late in May one of the editors of this journal visited the foundations of the Naples aquarium, and was surprised at the magnitude of the building, and the admirable natural advantages of the situation, and he predicts a grand success to the undertaking; the Italian government will undoubtedly cherish and protect the institution when its value shall be demonstrated. We hope that the success of this station may lead to the establishment of a zoological station on the American coast. Surely the zeal and money would not be wanting with us, if some one would take the lead; and such a station properly conducted and with due regard to popular wants, would be undoubtedly self sustaining. Indeed it is not a little surprising that public aquaria and zoological gardens on a large scale have not been established in the United States before this, as those of London, Paris, Hamburg, Berlin, etc., are, we believe, well sustained. EDs.]

FAUNAL PROVINCES OF THE WEST COAST OF AMERICA. At a recent meeting of the California Academy of Sciences, Mr. Stearns called the attention of the members to certain provincial divisions in the marine fauna of the west coast of America suggested by Prof. Verrill in the Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Sciences for 1871.

Mr. Stearns remarked, more particularly regarding the coast from Cape St. Lucas northward, that to divide this portion upon the data at present made known, so as to make provinces which should correspond with those of the Atlantic side, is not warranted

by the knowledge possessed at the present time; that the topography and geology of that portion of the west American coast, specified by him, was much more uniform in its character, as well as in the temperature of its waters, than that of a corresponding section in extent of the Atlantic coast, to say nothing of the influence of the coast currents which upon our coast are peculiar, and which enter largely in the matter of distribution of species; furthermore that the manuscript data in his possession, which were, to say the least, fully as important as what had already been published, and quite likely more authentic, indicated a greater range of coast to each province and therefore a less number of provinces than suggested by Prof. Verrill.

Though much had been done by himself, and other members of the Academy cooperating with him, in the accumulation of data bearing upon the geographical distribution of the mollusca of our coast, still so much remained to be done in order to make the work thorough and reliable, that it would be merely arbitrary and necessarily require frequent readjustment to propose at this time any new divisions or subdivisions of the coast into zoological provinces.

As to that part of the west coast of North America from Cape St. Lucas, including the Gulf of California, thence southerly to a point a few miles south of Panama, with the exception of collections made at a few places in the Gulf of California, also at San Juan del Sur and its immediate vicinity on the coast of Nicaragua, and in the Bay of Panama, almost nothing more is known of this vast reach of shore line than was known years ago.

Mr. Stearns stated that at some future time, as soon as the data collected by himself and colaborers here could be compiled, he proposed to refer to this subject again.

ON ZOOLOGICAL BARRIERS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SOUTH AMERICA. How far the present lofty mountain-chains and broad rivers arrest dispersion is an interesting and important question. Every fact throwing light upon it is a valuable contribution to science. It would seem that in temperate regions the mountains are greater barriers than in the tropics. Mr. Darwin says that we ought not to expect any closer similarity between the organic be ings on the opposite sides of the Andes than on opposite shores of the ocean. My own observations on the equatorial Andes corrobo

rate this statement, though it is more strikingly true of the Chilian Cordilleras and, as Mr. D. has remarked, is truer of quadrupeds and reptiles than of birds and insects. I know of fifty-six species occurring on both sides of the Andes of Ecuador, excluding all highflying Accipiters and all species ranging north of Panama. Of Mammals, one monkey and one pachyderm; of Birds, one thrush, two wrens, one vireo, five tanagers, two antcatchers, two flycatchers, five hummers, one trogon, one sawbill and one wader; of Reptiles, ten ophidians, two saurians and one batrachian; of Insects, seventeen lepidopters; of Mollusca, three Bulimi.

The Amazons, the Rio Negro and the Madeira divide the great plain into four districts, apparently similar in vegetation, climate, etc. Yet these rivers act as barriers to several species, and native hunters, understanding the fact, cross the river to procure certain animals. Five species of monkeys are confined to the north bank of the Amazons, and two to the south side. The blue macaw, green jacamar and curl-crested toucan never cross the Great River, though butterflies are known to fly over it. What is the cause of this isolation? Not the forest, for there is not a single tree which is not found both on the northern and southern banks.-Prof. JAMES ORTON.*

ABSENCE OF EYES IN CLASSIFICATION. Dr. Hagen's objection to the generic estimation of the lack of visual organs in the cave crustaceans is even less weighty than I had supposed; viz., the fact that in certain cave insects, the female sex only is deprived of eyes, the males possessing them. No one knows better than Dr. Hagen, that in many genera and even families and higher groups of insects the definitive characters are only to be found in the male sex; and I believe that in some crustaceans it is the female which exhibits the greatest departure from the embryonic starting point. In each case the most extensively developed sex must of necessity furnish the characters which determine the status of the species. But it is unnecessary to refer to special cases of this kind, for as I have already shown, the developmental status of the eyes in the blind catfish is very variable in both sexes and opposite sides of the head. This would have been a far better reason for rejecting the recognition of this character as generic.

Abstract of a paper read at the American Assoc. Adv. of Sci., 1872.

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