NOTES AND MEMORANDA, 401 



an extensive scale by means of several boats, to wbicb, if 

 the necessary means are forthcoming, a small steam-yacht 

 will be added. The animals taken will be given to the 

 zoologists for scientific treatment. It is more than doubtful 

 whether all these rich and expensive conveniences can be 

 furnished to zoological visitors without any pecuniary com- 

 pensation ; but I hear that Dr. Dohrn has drawn up a plan 

 which will enable even naturalists of limited means to enjoy 

 the advantages of the Station. He proposes to offer one or 

 more tables to various governments and scientific societies 

 for a fixed annual sum. These tables, and all the scientific 

 resources of the Station, will at once be placed at the dis- 

 posal of any naturalist who brings a certificate from the 

 government, university, or scientific body to which the table 

 has been let. This plan, among its many other advantages, 

 seems to be a successful attempt to solve the difficult question 

 as to how it is possible to unite a complete self-administration 

 on the part of scientific bodies with the recej^tion of pecuniary 

 assistance from their governments. 



" Dr. Dohrn speaks in the most grateful manner of the 

 assistance rendered him by the German authorities in Italy, 

 especially by Mr. Stolte, the consul-general at Naples, while 

 at the same time he Avarmly acknowledges the interest in his 

 undertaking displayed by the government of Italy, more 

 particularly Signer Correnti and Signer Sella, the late and 

 the present Ministers of Public Instruction. The difficulties 

 in the way of the execution of his plan were neither few nor 

 small, as may be gathered from the fact that, in spite of the 

 readiness (?) displayed by the municipal authorities of Naples, 

 more than two years elapsed before a definitive contract could 

 be concluded between the town and Dr. Dohrn with respect 

 to the cession of a suitable site for the building." 



7. Fourth Report on the Fauna of South Devon. By C. Spence 

 Bate. — Attention had been principally directed to the de- 

 velopment and habits of animals Avhich had fallen under ob- 

 servation. This had been facilitated by the establishment 

 at Plymouth of a marine pond as store for the Crystal 

 Palace Aquarium. The observations had already proved 

 interesting, and would become more so as the conditions of 

 the pond became better adapted to deep-sea species. It is 

 formed out of a deep gulley in the limestone, partly ex- 

 tending back into a cave. At the entrance it is 11 ft. wide, 

 and in other parts more than double ; when the water is 

 highest, its length is upwards of eighty feet. With the re- 

 j)lacement of the original Fucus by green algse, the water 

 .has become pellucid and clear. A list was given of the fish 



VOL. XII. NEW SER. F F 



