THE STUDY OF FISH

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 143, 18 June 1924, Page 6

THE STUDY OF FISH

V '..":'"'. !VC TO THE EDITOK. ; ' . ' ' Sir,—Your article under the . above heading, sympathetic with the ( proposal, to , establish a marine 1 laboratory and observing.,station in roonftectitin with Victoria. University. CbUege, J will' un- ' ' prove helpful. It is true .that the prime object of .^uch a station is to make the teaching* of this. coUege more complete' and mote efficient. /But it is also true that ithe proposal recognises the,' economic importance of such a scheme arid-the necessity for extension if-, that importance is to become as' great , as;;it ought to be. Jf a more extended . scheme could be entered upon at once' ti -would'be;.greatly to the; advantage of the State ana to the credit; of the city' and'the'district. ' \ <:. -."..i .- ' The extension as pro-' bable when the public are-prepared for iLx would include the erection of'buildings'1 and tanks .that should make it possible carry, out extensive experiments ofi-the breeding,and distribution of marine fi,shes, would iny.olve a special staff, and would 'probably : take in the island at Island! Pay, as a-part ofi the station.' It: would include ako a public aquarium. Obviously such. a scheme is beyond .the resources '.' that the college ■ can at present, hope to command. The piesent aim is to;make the best begin.sing. "that the response1 made by the ptiblic w.ill ■ permit. Prom that "beginning it is hoped that ■"■ much greater things iAvill grow. , The proposal, if carried into effect, will provide a station of-great use both I'to the,\coll«ge and to' the 'economicJ worker, and* the forty feet or so of well-designeol aquarium tanks will not fail to interest the public. But, if more.can be provided' from the outlet, that increased provision .will be of the greatest importance from the point of view, of economio science as well as from that of pure science. .. ''■.--'. .'■'■' Suporters of the,project are indebted to Mr. Ayson, the Chief Inspector of Fisheries, who kindly., examined the site and who approved it as suitable for the purpose.. He, indeed, regards tie is-" land as the ideal .site, and-1 also should prefer that; if. it were more, accessible1 al all times than it is. I may'say that some years ago I discussed tbe suitability of the island:wither.- Dohrn/the* founder of. the Naples' Zoological. Station and the father "-of marine observing- stations the world over: '■ The .description of the island pleased him, but lie laid great-stress on the matter of accessibility. _' Thanking' yon for. your sympathetic attitude.—l.am, etc.,;- . ' _ -■-■'.-: - : h; b. sibr . 14th June.- -.J ■- i