138 REPORTS OF INVESTIGATIONS AND PROJECTS. 



A Special comparative study of the Pennaria found at Loggerhead Key 

 and Garden Key and of the European Pennaria cavolini was made at the sug- 

 gestion of Dr. Mayer, who placed in my hands his material from Naples 

 gathered fresh in 1908, and preserved beautifully expanded in alcohol. 



Space forbids my detailing the results of this study ; but the result was to 

 prove that Pennaria cavolini is a species quite distinct from the Tortugas 

 form, the chief difference lying in the crenulations on the ultimate hydranth 

 ramuli. In P. cavolini those on the lateral hydranths are wholly annulated, 

 the ramulus usually being shorter than the hydranth itself, and becoming 

 gradually smaller from base to summit. In the Tortugas hydroid,on the con- 

 trary, the ramuli of lateral hydranths are only annulated proximally, are 

 usually longer than the hydranth, and increase in size, or swell, from the 

 proximal to the distal end. These characters also seem to separate it from 

 P. tiarella, and do not agree with Agassiz's "Gulf of Florida" form, P. gih- 

 bosa. A more complete comparison of all four species will be made as soon 

 as material can be obtained. 



We met with no storm during 1908, which has been the most uneventful 

 year in the history of the Laboratory. The yachts were safely laid up in the 

 Aliami River, Florida, on July 29. All of the investigators enjoyed good 

 health, and all returned to the north with vigor improved by their life in the 

 open air of the tropics. 



The action of President Roosevelt in setting aside the Tortugas as a Na- 

 tional game preserve enabled us to safeguard all of the birds upon Logger- 

 head Key, and as a result we now have a small but well-established colony of 

 the rare least tern nesting upon the island. 



To our kind friend Commodore William H. Beehler, U. S. N., commandant 

 of the naval station at Key West, we are indebted for generous aid rendered 

 to us upon all possible occasions. 



