95 



KEPORT on the HYDROIDA of the L. M. B. C. 



DISTRICT. 



By Mr. W. R. Melly, J. Sibley Hicks, L.R.C.P., F.L.S., and 

 Prof. Herdman, D.Sc. 



A FEW words of explanation are necessary in regard to the 

 joint authorship of this Report. Before the Liverpool 

 Marine Biology Committee commenced their investigations, 

 Dr. Sibley Hicks had done a good deal of work at the 

 Hydroid Zoophytes of this neighbourhood, and had drawn 

 up a list of thirty-eight species found in the estuary of the 

 Mersey. This list was exhibited before the Literary and 

 Philosophical Society of Liverpool, in 1880, but has not 

 been published. As Dr. Hicks found that he could not spare 

 sufficient time to undertake the Report upon the Hydroida, 

 he handed over his list of species to the Committee, and has 

 also given some assistance in identifying the specimens. 



Mr. W. R. Melly, while working as a student in the 

 Zoological Laboratory of University College, paid special 

 attention to the Hydroids, and on the dredging expeditions 

 which he took part in, he assisted me in collecting and 

 preserving the smaller species of Zoophytes. Consequently, 

 when it was found that Dr. Hicks could not undertake the 

 preparation of this Report, I handed the collections over to 

 Mr. Melly for examination. The work has been carried on 

 during the present Winter Session in the Laboratory, under 

 my direction. The greater part of the labour of preparing 

 the Report has, then, been performed by Mr. Melly. He has 

 examined and identified every specimen in the collection, and 

 hasdrawn up the list of species, with records of their previous 

 occurrence in the locality. My share of the work has been 



