162 LIVERPOOL MARINE BIOLOGY COMMITTEE REPORT. 



some time before, but he was discredited, and the leading 

 naturalists of the day stoutly opposed his views. 



In 1755, Ellis published an Essay towards a Natural 

 History of the Corallines, in which he described and figured 

 the forms he believed to be animals. Considering the means 

 of observation at his command, the illustrations strike us 

 with wonder on account of their marvellous accuracy. 



Among the Corallines, he described a considerable num- 

 ber of Polyzoa, so I think we can fairly claim that Ellis 

 was the first one to work at this group of animals in our 

 neighbourhood. 



Since that time other eminent naturalists have been 

 attracted to this field of labour. Notable amongst these I 

 may mention Prof. E. Forbes, F.R.S., and the Eev. Thos. 

 Hincks, B.A., F.K.S., whose invaluable work on the British 

 Marine Polyzoa has furnished a great portion of the material 

 for this report. 



The whole of our district, however, has not been 

 thoroughly examined, for while the Isle of Man, the coast of 

 North Wales, and the neighbourhood of Hilbre Island have 

 been the favourite resorts of collectors, the coast of Lanca- 

 shire, particularly the part extending from Liverpool to 

 Blackpool, seems to have been almost untouched. 



Up to the present I have been able to record ninety-eight 

 species occurring in our area, divided among the four great 

 groups as follows : — 



Cheilostomatous forms 66. 

 Cyclostomatous forms 13. 

 Ctenostomatous forms 17. 

 Entoproctous forms 2. 



One species I insert with considerable hesitancy — viz., 

 Memhranipora flemingii. In the British Marine Polyzoa it 

 is described as " common, and generally distributed on our 

 coasts," but no special localities are given. But as we could 



