6 LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



1885, by Mr. Thompson from Puffin Island and the coast 

 of North Wales, by Mr. Chadwick from Beaumaris, and 

 by Mr. Shrubsole from Sheerness ; and again, in 1886, in 

 vol. i. of our "Fauna."* This condition of the sea has 

 since been met with by Prof. Mcintosh f in St. Andrew's 

 Bay, in 1887, and by the naturalists at the Plymouth 

 Biological Station, in 1889.: In 1885 and 1886, in our 

 neighbourhood, the ''foul water" was caused by the 

 presence of vast numbers of small gelatinous spherical 

 bodies containing minute spicules. During the last few 

 years, however, this form has not been observed here, its 

 place being taken in early summer by gelatinous masses, 

 which are found on examination to be composed almost 

 entirely of Diatoms, chiefly Goscinodiscus concinnus. 



From the adjoining series of quotations from the weekly 

 reports, it is seen that the temperature of the sea was at 

 its lowest (40° F.) early in February, and from that date 

 the temperature rose gradually till it reached its highest 

 point (61° F.) early in August, and then commenced to fall. 

 The surface Algae began to appear about the middle of 

 May, when the temperature was 50° F., and continued to 

 be present in great abundance for about six weeks, till 

 near the end of June, and in less amount up to the 20th 

 August, when they disappeared. After June, Medusae, 

 Ctenophora, Copepoda and other surface organisms were 

 present in great abundance. 



When these minute Algae are present in quantity it is 

 almost useless to tow-net, as the comparatively few other 

 organisms present in the water become so entangled with 

 the masses of Diatoms that it is almost impossible to 

 separate them. 



* "Fauna of Liverpool Bay," vol. L, p. 315, 1886. 



t Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., Aug. 1887, p. 97. 



t Journ. Mar. Biol. Assoc, vol. i., No. 2, Oct. 1889, p. 114. 



