MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 297 



In conclusion, it is clear that this investigation of our 

 modern sub-marine deposits, their distribution, nature, 

 origin, and associated fauna, has geological appKcations, 

 and that our results may be of some importance, e.g., to 

 palaeontologists, in aiding them to determine the conditions 

 under which the fauna of a particular horizon probably 

 existed in the past ; but, from our point of view, the matter 

 is a purely Biological one. We consider it of primary 

 importance, in studying the distribution of the marine 

 animals in our district, to investigate as minutely as 

 possible their environment, and that not merely because 

 it gives us some of the factors and possibly the explana- 

 tion of the distribution, but also on account of the light it 

 may throw upon the habits, variations, and other important 

 characteristics of the species. 



Other Faunistic Work. 



In addition to the larger dredging expeditions (see p. 269), 

 a good deal of work has been carried on during the year 

 from small boats in Port Erin Bay, and by shore-collect- 

 ing at Port Erin, Port St. Mary, Perwick, Fleshwick, and 

 the Calf Sound. 



One interesting piece of work carried out in the Aquar- 

 ium, was Mr. Arnold T. Watson's observations on the 

 tube building of Panthalis oerstedi, a Polynoid worm. 

 As is stated above (p.290), in the deep water off Port Erin 

 we dredge in the mud large thick- walled tubes, which are 

 sometimes associated with Panthalis, and wiiich we sup- 

 posed to be formed by that annehd. However, some 

 doubt had been expressed on the matter, and a leading 

 authority on the AnneHda gave it as his opinion that the 

 connection between Panthalis and the tubes had never 

 been clearly established. Consequently, I suggested to 

 Mr. Watson that he should come to Port Erin, obtain 



