92 EKPOBT — 1887. 



Report on the Scottish Marine Station for the year 1886-87. 



Since the last meeting of the British Association the principal work 

 carried on at Granton has been the systematic study of the Polychteta of 

 the Firth of Forth. Mr. Gr. A. Ramage, Vans Dunlop Scholar of Edin- 

 burgh University, was associated with myself in this undertaking. We 

 collected all the species we could find, more especially those living near 

 the Laboratory in the littoral zone, and we found that the Polychseta, 

 more particularly the sedentary forms, were abundant in the neighbour- 

 hood both in individuals and in species. We carefully determined the 

 systematic position of each form, and investigated, as far as opportunities 

 allowed, its life-history, anatomy, and histology. One of the most in- 

 teresting results of our work was the elucidation of the peculiar structure 

 and relations of the nephridial system in Laiiice conchilega (Malmgren), 

 an account of which was communicated by myself to the Royal Society 

 of Edinburgh, and afterwards published in ' Nature ' (June 16, 1887). A 

 more complete paper, illustrated with several plates, on various points in 

 the anatomy of the Polychseta was prepared by me for publication in 

 the ' Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science,' and will appear shortly 

 in that periodical : it is now in the pi'ess. A memoir, in which the results 

 of our investigations are fully described and illustrated, was presented 

 in July to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and will be published in the 

 coming autumn in the Transactions of that Society. 



In the course of the spring Mr. Rupert Vallentiu, at Mr. Murray's 

 suggestion, undertook to make an investigation of the phosphorescent 

 organs oiNycfophanes norvegica (G. O. Sars) (a species of the Euphausiidse), 

 which occurs abundantly m certain deep areas in the Forth of Clyde. 

 Mr. Vallentin paid several visits to Millport, and made excursions on the 

 steam yacht ' Medusa ' in order to obtain specimens of the animal. He 

 afterwards made experiments on the phosphorescence in the living animal 

 in the small laboratory at Millport, and brought preserved material to 

 Granton, where he investigated the histology of the luminous organs. I 

 afterwards joined him in preparing the results of this work for publica- 

 tion, and we communicated a short account of the subject to the Royal 

 Society of Edinburgh. A more complete and illustrated paper on the 

 subject will be published shortly in the ' Quarterly Journal of Micro- 

 scopical Science.' 



My own inquiries into the reproduction of Myxine glytinosa were 

 continued from time to time during the winter and spring, but I was not 

 successful in obtaining fertilised ova or embryos. I was able, however, to 

 obtain evidence which increased the period during which I was certain 

 that oviposition took place : the additional evidence is recorded in the 

 ' Zoologischer Anzeiger.' 



During June and July observations on the reproduction of oysters in 

 the Firth of Forth were resumed. Steps were being taken to plant oysters 

 and collect spat ofi" the shore at Preston Pans, and the resources and ex- 

 perience available at the Granton laboratory were placed at the disposal 

 of those engaged in this enterprise. Oysters were imported from Holland, 

 as well as collected in the Firth, healthy spat was obtained, and arrange- 

 ments were made in the aquarium at Granton for keeping this spat alive 

 in captivity, and, if possible, securing its fixation on collectors. 



The above is a sketch of the work carried on. I have now to report 

 on the extent to which the organisation has been made use of by zoologists 



