254 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



been able to collect at Hastings and Bexhill in June, the South 

 Cornish coast near Falmouth in July, and Totland and Freshwater 

 Bays, Isle of Wight, at the end of August. He began by giving a 

 brief survey of the relative frequency of the various groups of 

 marine organisms at these places. Marine algae and sea-anemones 

 were most plentiful on the Cornish coast, while hydroids were 

 best represented at Hastings. There were plenty of the encrust- 

 ing forms of Polyzoa at both Falmouth and the Isle of Wight, 

 but the branching forms were far more plentiful at Totland Bay 

 than anywhere else. For Porifera, Echinodermata and Crustacea 

 the Cornish coast ranks highest. The collecting at the Isle of 

 Wight was done at three low spring tides, one each at Totland, 

 Colwell and Freshwater Bays. While waiting for the first low 

 tide, the Headon beds, which come down to the beach at Totland 

 Bay, were examined, and fossil fruits of several species of Chara 

 were found in profusion, besides seeds of Potamogeton and 

 water-lily. The marine algae appear to be fairly typical South- 

 coast species. Padina pavonia grows profusely and covers 

 large areas in sandy parts at about half-tide mark. Hydroids 

 were not very plentiful, although two species not included in the 

 list given in The Natural History of the Isle of Wight, edited by 

 Morey, were among the eleven taken. Zoantharia were plentiful, 

 the most interesting being the colonial form Polythoa arenacea. 

 Mr. Curwen counted twenty in a row, about two feet long, with 

 their tentacles projecting slightly above the sand. On touching 

 the first one of the row, which promptly contracted, it was interest- 

 ing to note the communication of the agitation along the whole 

 line, one closing after another in regular sequence. About twenty 

 species of Polyzoa were recorded, three being new to the Isle of 

 Wight list. A profusion of the encrusting forms occurred on the 

 Laminaria. An interesting point noted was the association of 

 a Bugula (apparently B. flabellata) and an encrusting species, 

 Mucronella coccinea. In practically every case the Bugula 

 growing on Laminaria fronds was surrounded at its base by a more 

 or less circular patch of the Mucronella. The fine condition of 

 both species might indicate the relationship to be symbiotic. 

 Two species of Pycnogonids were found, many specimens sheltering 

 at the roots of Laminaria in company with Ophiocoma neglecta 

 and a minute crab. Two species of spectre shrimps new to the 

 Island list, Caprella tuherculata and C. linearis, were found, and 



