Inspection of the Laboratory.

Extract

The Laboratory was visited and inspected on June 26th and 27th by a Committee appointed by the Council for that purpose, and the following report was submitted to the Council at the meeting held on June 29th:—

“The Committee, consisting of the President and Mr. Beddard, arrived in Plymouth on Saturday, June 26th. They visited the laboratories, engine-rooms, tank-room, library, and museum on both Saturday and Sunday. By the President's invitation, they were joined at Plymouth by Mr. John Enys, of Enys, near Falmouth, a member of the Association.

“The Committee report in the first place that the satisfactory standard of general efficiency noted last year has been fully maintained. The place is in excellent condition, clean and orderly, and the servants are well in hand.

“The large laboratory has been provided with a new flat tank, eight feet by five feet and eight inches deep, by aid of which Mr. Garstang has been carrying on some observations on the habits of Brachyurous Crustacea. The sea-water supplied to the laboratory is still kept distinct from the general circulation in the show tanks, and is never returned to the laboratory tanks after it has passed through them. We are of opinion that this is the only satisfactory system for maintaining marine organisms in a really healthy condition in confinement, the whole theory of ‘circulation’ being illusory and in practice disastrous.

“The lecture-room is in good order, and has proved to be very useful and well fitted for its purpose.

“The collection of local types in the museum has progressed.