11 



With regard to the specimens to be laid before you, they 

 are not numerous, most of my new acquisitions being away 

 for further examination and comparison. The Zoophites 

 are in the hands of Dr. Johnston, of Berwick, who is pre- 

 paring a new edition of his work upon that order. The 

 Crustacece are sent to Professor T. Bell, to whom they will 

 be of service for his work in process of publication. 



Neraa Cuspidata inhabits both the Mediterranean and 

 Norwegian Seas, but it is extremely rare as a British 

 species. I have procured it in Loch Fyne, at Oban and 

 Zetland. The specimen before you is from the first-named 

 locality, at thirty fathoms depth, and I believe it to be much 

 larger than any other that has been met with, either British 

 or foreign. Two other species from the same habitat, are 

 both quite new, and, as yet, without specific names. Nucula 

 Pi/gnuca, a minute species, not previously known, is as 

 recent, and the more interesting from the circumstance of 

 its being a prevailing fossil of the most recent tertiary or 

 Pleistocine deposits. I have only met with it in one locality, 

 near the south entrance to the Sound of Skye, in thirty 

 fathoms water. 



The next is a new Trochus from the fishing banks west 

 of Zetland, found at fifty fathoms depth. 



A small Zoophite, called Turbinolia Milliaria, now in 

 its recent state, is especially interesting to geologists, from 

 its being a characteristic fossil of the older Tertiary (Bed 

 Orag,) and supposed to possess a tropical character. A 

 perfect specimen, which I procured alive, is deposited in the 

 Government Museum of Economic Geology. It is from the 

 coast of Cornwall — found in thirty fathoms water. 



On a former occasion I exhibited to the Society an 

 imperfect specimen of the Pavonaria Quadrangular is. I 

 have now the pleasure of submitting to you several 

 individuals preserved soft, of various sizes, the largest 

 measuring above forty-eight inches in length. This 

 extraordinary zoophite is, when alive, extremely phospho- 

 rescent, and, it is a remarkable circumstance connected 

 with it, that till discovered by myself, above a year ago, 

 near Oban, the only account of it was by a naturalist of 

 the last century, Pallas, who described it from an imperfect 

 specimen taken in the Bay of Naples. Although sufficiently 

 abundant in one particular locality, I have never met with 

 it elsewhere. 



When I had hist the honour of addressing the Society, 

 I called die attention of its members to the best means of 

 preserving objects, and the preparations, and particularl] 



