62 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES DELATING TO 



Syndesmohothrmm ftlicolh Linton. This seems to be the first record of 

 a cestode parasite occurring in the flesh of any fish east of Suez. The 

 parasite becomes adult in the larger species of Trygon and Hypoloplms ; 

 and there is not the slightest danger of man being infected. 



Taunistic Survey of Blacksod Bay.*— G. P. Farren has compiled 

 an account of tlie fauna of Blacksod Bay, Co. Mayo. The algge and 

 lichens are also dealt with and the geological features. The fauna of the 

 rocky shore is divided into four sets. (1) There are the animals exposed 

 to the air on stones, rock faces, or weeds, e.g., species of Littorina, Purpura 

 lajjillus, Patella vuh/ata, Actinia equina, Halichondria jjanicea, Sycon 

 conipressum, Phallusia mentiila, Spirorhis horealis, Hekion pelluciduni. 

 (2) There are animals found under stones, such as Amphipods, Lineus 

 ruber, many Polychsts, many Molluscs. (P)) There are animals living 

 in the crevices of the rocks, chiefly Polychiets, Xemerteans and Gephyrea. 

 (4) There are animals living in Laminarian roots, especially Turbel- 

 larians, Xemerteans and Polych^ets. The fauna of the sandy beaches 

 includes CyliMa widata on Gardium edule, Lineus acutifrons, Tuhulanus 

 linearis, Echinocardium and Synapta, many Molluscs and Polych?ets. 

 The Zostera beds are marked by numerous Polychtets, such as Nereis 

 cultrifera, Scoloplos armiyer, Cirratulus tentaculatus and Notomastus 

 later iceus. On or amongst the blades are found Anemonia sulcata, 

 Leucosolenia mriabilis. Lacuna divaricata, Zippora memhranacea, Hip- 

 pohjte prideauxiana and H. varians, the compound Ascidian Aplidium 

 zoster icola (?), and the fishes Nerophis ophidion and Spinachia vulgaris. 

 The sub-littoral fauna is also dealt with. The total number of animal 

 species recorded is 1005. 



Reactions of Fishes to Salts. f — Morris M. Wells finds that fresh- 

 water fishes recognize and react to the presence of salts in solution. 

 The reaction is one that tends to bring them into their optimum salt 

 solution. Fresh-water fishes (and probably marine fishes also) are not 

 as sensitive to salt ions as they are to hydrogen or liydroxyl ions. The 

 reactions to either the ions of salts or acids are complicated by the 

 presence of the ions of the other. Fresh-water fishes react to combina- 

 tions of antagonistic salts or to an antagonistic salt and acid in a way 

 that tends to bring them into a region of optimum stimulation. The 

 phenomena of antagonism are thus indicated by the behaviour as well as 

 by the resistance of organisms. 



Starvation causes certain fishes, e.g. the rock bass {Amhloplites 

 rupestris), to select higher concentrations of salt than those normally 

 selected. Other fishes, e.g. the bull-head {Ameiurus melas), when 

 starved, select lower concentrations than normally. Over-feeding causes 

 bull-heads to select higher concentrations than those normally chosen. 

 Rock bass and bull-heads which are normally negative to calcium chloride 

 solution (0 • 01 N), become positive after being kept in this concentra- 

 tion for about a week. They become negative again when returned to 



* Sci. Invest. Fisheries Ireland, 1914, iii. (1915) pp. 1-72 (1 map), 

 t Journ. Exper. Zool., xix. (1915) pp. 243-18 (3 figs.). 



