78 REPORT — 1887. 



has fully recognised the importance of these researches, which will be 

 published m extenso before the end of the year. 



Some time ago the Italian Government made arrangements with the 

 Station for the instraction of naval officers in the proper modes of col- 

 lecting and preserving marine organisms, and it will be remembered that 

 several important collections have been made by officers thus qualified. The 

 Russian navy has now adopted the same course, and has just concluded 

 a special contract with the Station for the instruction of officers belonging 

 to that service. The important scientific gains which are likely to accrue 

 to any country whose officers ai'e thus practically acquainted with the 

 technical methods of preserving animals for histological investigation are 

 too obvious to need exposition. 



The British Association Table. — Two naturalists have occupied the 

 British Association Table during the past year. Hitherto the table has 

 be'^n occupied only by zoologists ; but your Committee have this year 

 the pleasure to report a deviation from this custom, the use of the table 

 having been granted to a botanist--Mr. John Gardiner, late Scientific 

 Adviser to the Board of Agriculture of the Bahamas. As Mr. Gardiner 

 travelled from the West Indies for the purpose of carrying out certain 

 special investigations at Naples, permission was given to him by your 

 Committee to hold the table for the period of twelve months — the 

 current year. Mr. Gardiner's intermediate report, which is annexed, will 

 fully justify the expediency of granting the table for this extended term, 

 and will also bear testimony to the interesting results which are likely to 

 reward Mr. Gardiner's further labours if he is permitted to complete his 

 term of occupancy. Your Committee would also venture to direct atten- 

 tion to Mr. Gardiner's remarks on the Zoological Station in general, and 

 on the claim which the British Association Table has for continued support. 



The use of a table was also granted to the Re^^. Canon A. M. Norman. 

 This your Committee were able to do by the favour of Prof. Dohrn, who 

 with great kindness placed at their disposal a second table in considera- 

 tion of the fact that in previous years the British Association Table had 

 for some months remained unoccupied. Dr. Norman worked at Naples 

 for five weeks and has furnished a report, which is annexed. 



Two other applications for the British Association Table were received 

 by the Committee during the past year, which the Committee were 

 unable to grant. 



For the next year a preliminary inquiry for permission to use the 

 table has already been made by an able naturalist, who wishes to com- 

 mence work in January. As Mr. Gardiner's term of occupancy will not 

 terminate until December, if the lease of the table is renewed, this would 

 ensure a continuance of occupation. 



With these facts before them and the satisfactory character of the 

 present report, your Committee feel justified in expressing the hope that 

 the Council will renew the grant (100/.) for the ensuing year. 



The Puhlications of the Station. — The progress of the various works 

 undertaken by the Station is here summarised : — 



(1) Of the ' Fauna und Flora des Golfes von Neapel' the following 

 monograph has been published since the last Report : — XIV. J. Fraipont, 

 ' Polygordius.' 



The following works are in the press, and will probably be published 

 in 1887 : — H. Eisig, ' Capitellidse,' and G. von Koch, ' Gorgoniidse.' 



(2) Of the ' Mittheilungen aus der Zoologischen Station zu Neapel ' 

 vol. vii. part ii. has been published. 



