30 



Larvae of various groups of the invertebrata, including 

 Mollusca, Crustacea, Polyzoa, Vermes, and CcBlenterata, 

 were occasionally observed in the local collections. The 

 floating eggs of Alcijonium were very common in Barrow 

 Channel, off Boa Island, in the beginning of April, and 

 also in the tow-nettings taken in the Clyde. 



Noctiluca was very common in the collections taken in 

 the vicinity of the Bar Lightship, Mersey, on June 24th 

 and onwards ; but was not observed in the northern part 

 of the district until the end of August. 



Ceratiuin tripos, C. furca, and C. fiisus, occurred in 

 many collections throughout the year. 



Diatoms {Biddulphia, Coscinodiscus, &c.) were very 

 seldom found in the local collections, but were abundant 

 in the gatherings made by the steamer further out, in the 

 spring months. 



Experiments with Weighted Drift Bottles. 



(Andrew Scott.) 



In a former Beport,* under the title, " The Drift 

 Bottles and Surface Currents," in which the result of the 

 distribution of drift bottles over the Irish Sea, and the 

 conclusion drawn therefrom, is given, reference is made 

 to an experiment of Mr. Ascroft's, where, instead of using 

 small bottles containing only the post card, larger bottles 

 were employed, but, in addition to the post card, were 

 so weighted with sand that they floated almost entirely 

 submerged, and of which nearly 30% were returned. It 

 is also incidentally remarked that some of them sunk out 

 of sight when set free, one being subsequently brought up 

 in a steamer's trawl while fishing in the vicinity of the 

 Bahama Lightship on the north-east coast of the Isle of 



Report for 1895, Sect, II., p. 12, 



