78 NOTES AND MEMOEANDA. 



had found Plioronis in abundance at Falmouth, and kindly sent me 

 several specimens. Mr. Vallentin's specimens closely agree with 

 those taken at Plymouth and are undoubtedly of the same species. 



Thus, Phoronis hippocrepia has been taken at the following parts 

 of the British coast: — Ilfracombe (Strethill Wright), Tenby (Dyster), 

 Sheerness (Shrubsole, species?), Millport (Kolliker), Falmouth 

 (Vallentin), and at Plymouth. If P. ovalis is an immature con- 

 dition of the same species, then the Firth of Forth must be added 

 to this list. 



The larva Actinotrocha is recorded from Plymouth (G. C. Bourne), 

 Cromarty Firth (J. T. Cunningham), Arran (Herdman, Carpenter, 

 and Claparede), Portobello (Spencer Cobbold), in and off the Firth 

 of Forth (Mcintosh). — Walter Gaestang. 



5. Oyster Culture in the River Yealm. — With regard to the ob- 

 servations on oyster culture in the river Yealm, to which reference 

 has been made in a previous number of the Journal, a report has 

 been furnished by Dr. G. H. Fowler to Lord Eevelstoke, who had 

 generously placed the river at the disposal of the Association, and 

 had provided a stock of parent oysters. As a result of these ex- 

 periments it appeai'ed that (1) as regards food, the river is well 

 adapted for the production of a fat and well-flavoured oyster ; (2) 

 that the purity and salinity of the water are also favourable ; 

 (3) that a large part of the present bottom and sides of the river 

 are unusually well-fitted for oyster farming, and a good deal of 

 ground, at present unfit for the purpose, could be brought into 

 cultivation without great trouble ; (4) that the considerable move- 

 ment of the water in ebb and flow is a less favourable factor in the 

 problem, but is not so extensive as to nullify the other advantages 

 of the river for oyster farming. 



6. Ray's Bream. — On March 28th Mr. Dunn, of Mevagissey, sent 

 to the Laboratory a specimen of Ray's bream, Brama Raii, Bl. Schn. 

 It was 50'4 cm. in length and in a quite fresh uninjured condition. 

 Mr. Dunn stated that it was seen swimming at the surface of the 

 water off the beach at Portseathoe near Falmouth, and was captured 

 with a gaff. This fish is rarely taken, and its normal habits are not 

 well known. The occasional specimens which have been taken have 

 been thrown up on the shore after storms, or found in an exhausted 

 condition in shallow water. It has occurred on various parts of 

 the British and Irish coasts. The last specimen found on the south 

 coast was captured on June 12th, 1875, near Penzance, and is 

 recorded by Mr. Cornish in the Zoologist for that year. — J. T. C. 



