176 
NATURE 
[| Fune 25, 1885 
vibration of the buildings. The same tremulous motion 
was also felt in Victoria Road, Headingley, and no 
doubt in other parts of the town. 
At Snaith and neighbourhood similar effects were pro- 
duced. Mr. Barrett, the postmaster of that town, says the 
shock was so severe as to cause quite a noise with the goods 
on the shelves in his shop window vibrating, and he felt the 
floor under him shake distinctly. At 10°48 a.m.on Thursday 
morning an earthquake was distinctly felt at Thorne, 
Hatfield, Epworth, and Eastoft. At various parts of 
Thorne crockery and glass rattled upon the shelves in the 
houses, furniture was shifted, and many of the inhabitants 
were greatly alarmed by the floors slightly descending. 
At Hatfield Levels also some consternation was caused 
by the earthquake, which was felt very perceptibly. We 
have not heard of any damage being done by the shock. 
About one o’clock on the morning of the 18th, north- 
western Argyleshire was visited by an earthquake. The 
shock was distinctly felt at Ballachulish, and in many of 
the houses in the slate quarry district of Glencoe. The 
shock was felt with distinctness in Clachaig Inn, at the 
top of Glencoe. It travelled in a south-eastern direction. 
Dr. Forel, of Morges, writes that a pretty strong shock 
was felt on the morning of June 20, at 5.16, in the 
cantons of Neuchatel, Vaud, Berne, Fribourg, and 
Geneva, the seismic centre being probably the neighbour- 
hood of the Lake of Neuchatel. The intensity was 
No. IV. of the scale of seismic intensity. 
THE SCOTTISH MARINE STATION 
Pee equipment of the Research Station at Granton, 
Edinburgh, has now been increased by the construc- 
tion of a system of large tanks provided with a constant 
circulation of sea-water. These tanks are arranged very 
nearly according to the plan described in the account of 
the station and its work which was published in April 
last. The aquarium itself occupies the ground-floor of 
the building, whose upper story forms the biological 
laboratory, and it consists of seven large tanks, five of 
which are shallow, and two deep, the latter being provided 
with glass fronts. The pump, which is driven by a steam- 
engine, the high-level reservoir, and the low-level reser- 
voirs are situated at other parts of the premises. One of 
the deep tanks is being used for the study of the still 
mysterious life-history of AZyaine glutinosa. Last week 
nearly 150 specimens of that animal were brought alive to 
the station from the neighbourhood of St. Abb’s Head, 
where it is very abundant. These were successfully 
domiciled in the aquarium. As out of three specimens 
brought alive to the “Ark” (the floating laboratory be- 
longing to the station) on May 1, and kept in a small 
glass aquarium about 15 inches long and 9 inches broad, 
two are still alive and healthy, there is good reason to 
hope that there will be no difficulty in keeping a large 
number alive for any length of time in a tank about 7 feet 
by 5 feet by 4 feet, which are the dimensions of the 
one now used for the purpose. It was found in the 
former experiment that the Myxine when left to them- 
selves, burrowed into the layer of mud which had 
been placed at the bottom of the small aquarium, and 
lay for hours motionless, their bedies, with the exception 
of the extreme tip of the snout, being entirely buried. 
The snout is protruded for the purpose of respiration, a 
current of water passing constantly through the nostril 
into the cesophagus, and escaping at the two respiratory 
apertures. The normal condition of the animal when 
not actively engaged in the search for food is evidently 
to lie thus buried in mud. It is well known to fishermen, 
at least to those who are employed in line-fishing, that 
eellets, as Myxine are called by them, are met with 
almost exclusively on muddy ground. At the place 
where the creatures are more abundant than anywhere 
else in the neighbourhood of the Firth of Forth, namely, 
off St. Abb’s Head, the sea-bottom throughout an exten- 
sive area consists of soft black mud. A quantity of this 
mud was brought to the station with the living specimens, 
and a layer of it 6 or 8 inches in depth placed at the 
bottom of the tank in which the Myxine were to be kept. 
The animals are now thickly scattered through the layer 
of mud, like earthworms in garden soil. 
Some of the shallow tanks are being used for the study 
of the reproduction of the oyster. Supplies of oysters 
are being obtained from various sources, and before long 
a series of experiments as to the conditions necessary to 
the life of the oyster larve will be carried out. It is 
hoped, as the least result from this work, that new interest 
will be aroused in this country in the question of the 
scientific artificial cultivation of oysters. 
The opportunities afforded for research by the labora- 
tory and new aquarium cannot be fully utilised by those 
now working at the Station, and biologists who would 
come and carry out original work at the Station would 
be gladly welcomed. 
A temporary branch of the station is now being 
organised at Millport, on the Firth of Clyde. It will be 
open during the months of July and August. The floating 
laboratory known as the “Ark” will be moored next 
week in still water off one of the small islands in the Bay 
of Millport, and the yacht JZedusa will be stationed there 
for the purpose of dredging and providing material for 
study. Several naturalists have mad e arrangements to 
carry on work at Millport during part or whole of the 
time that the “Ark” will be there: amongst others the 
Rev. A. M. Norman, Prof. W. A. Herdman, of University 
College, Liverpool, Mr. David Robertson, of Glasgow ; 
Mr. J. Harvey Gibson, Mr. J. R. Henderson. Mr. John 
Murray, convener of the Committee, entrusted with 
the management of the Scottish Marine Station, will 
be at Millport during the greater part of the time. 
It is hoped that one result of the work will be 
the preparation of an account of the fauna of the Firth 
of Clyde which will include, besides the results of 
the investigations to be carried on, the results of 
the previous work in the same field. As several of the 
experienced naturalists mentioned above are already 
familiar with the fauna of the Firth, a publication on the 
subject produced by their cooperation will be complete 
and authoritative. Any naturalists who may wish to carry 
on research at the Millport temporary station are invited 
to communicate with Mr. John Murray. 
J. T. CUNNINGHAM 
COMPOSITE PORTRAITS OF MEMBERS OF 
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES* 
gp eese of the members who were present at the 
Washington meeting of the Academy last spring will 
remember that, at the request of Prof. Brewer and 
myself, they sat for their separate photographed portraits 
for the purpose of obtaining an experimental composite 
picture. Prof. Baird kindly offered the facilities of the 
photographic department ; and the pictures taken by Mr. 
Smilie, the photographer in charge, bear the same stamp 
of excellence that characterises so generally the work of . 
that department of the National Museum. 
As only one or two previous attempts, I believe, have 
been made to produce composites in this country, I will 
state briefly what they are, and how they are made. 
The idea in its broadest sense was conceived and 
applied by Francis Galton for the purpose of obtaining 
an average or type portrait—z.e. a picture that should 
show the features that are common to a group of indi- 
viduals, and exclude those that are purely individual. It 
is clear that, in proportion as this result is attainable, the 
method will be of value in obtaining a clear conception 
of the external characteristics of any given type or class. 
* From Scrence, to the editor of which we are also indebted for the use of 
the photographic plate accompanying the article. 
