420 Botanico-GeograpTiical Exhibition at Copenhagen. 



hibitions, ■which may be much more scientifically useful 

 than our recurrent " flower shows." Even here a small 

 exhibition of 400 species of pot-plants at Nancy in 1880, 

 and under the patronage of the French National Con- 

 gress, claims precedence. The Copenhagen Exhibition of 

 1885, nevertheless, has shown horticultural committees 

 who can command the services of nurserymen and 

 amateurs to exhibit plants in pots, that the method of 

 botanico-geographical exposition may both incite fresh 

 popular enthusiasm and a love for this special line of 

 study. 



The Distribution of the Marine Algce of the Firth of Forth. 

 By John Eattray, M.A., B.Sc, F.E.S.E. 



(Read 8th January 1885.) 



The observations that have to be recorded in the present 

 communication have been, for the most part, conducted at 

 the Scottish Marine Station, Gran ton, during the years 

 1884-1885, where T have had the opportunity on many occa- 

 sions of examining the products of numerous dredgings and 

 trawlings carried out on board the steam yacht "Medusa," 

 which is specially equipped with all the necessary appliances 

 for estuarine scientific work. Facts have also been accumu- 

 lated from time to time regarding various species procured 

 by deep-sea fishing lines, and more recently by the nets 

 used by beam trawlers. So far as these observations are of 

 interest, they are incorporated in the sequel, it being only 

 necessary to add with respect to them that in some instances 

 data have thus been procured, which without their aid 

 could hardly have been attained. Many observations, of a 

 more or less interesting nature, have already been made on 

 the Algse of the estuary by among others — Greville, Light- 

 foot, M'Bain, Maughan, Richardson, and Walker-Arnott; 

 and more recently numerous data have been recorded by 

 Holmes, Batters, Magnus, Henderson, and especially by 

 Mr George W. Traill. Most of these observers have been, 

 however, compelled to confine their operations to the belt 

 of shore extending between high and low water marks, the 

 opportunity of working in greater depths with the dredge 

 or trawl having, with few exceptions, not been enjoyed. 



