ON THE FLORA OJT CHINA. 95 



interest and importance, and the Committee have mach satisfaction in 

 reporting that circ am stances are now favourable to more rapid progress 

 in the future than hitherto. Simultaneously with the appearance of our 

 Index Florae Sinensis, a French botanist, M. Franchet, is publishing a 

 very extensive collection of plants made by French missionaries in Yun- 

 nan, a province from which there is almost nothing in the London her- 

 baria ; hence his labours sapplemeat ours and cover a distinct floral 

 region. 



The Committee recommend their reappointment, and that a further 

 grant of £100 be placed at their disposal. 



Report of the Cornmittee consisting of Canon A. M. Nokman, Mr. 

 H. B. Brady, Mr. W. Carruthers, Professor Herdman, Professor 

 W. C. M'Intosh, Mr. J. Murray, Professor A. Newton, Mr. P. 

 L. Sclater, and Professor A. C. Haddon (Secretary), appointed 



^for the purpose of considering the question of accurately defin- 

 ing the term ' British ' as applied to the Marine Fauna and 

 Flora of our Islands. 



A CIRCULAR giving in detail alternative boundaries for a British marine 

 area, and maps and sections illustrating the same, was distributed to the 

 members of the 'British Marine Area Committee,' as well as to a large 

 and representative number of naturalists interested in marine zoology. 

 As was to be expected, the replies showed tliat great diversity of opinion 

 exists not only as to the desirability of limiting a British marine area, but 

 also as to how far such an area should extend. 



A tabulation of the replies was subsequently forwarded to the members 

 of the Committee, and the following statements appear to express the 

 views of the majority. 



It may be desirable, for the convenience of curators of museums and 

 the compilers of faunistic works, to limit a marine area which may be 

 more particularly described as ' British.' 



The British Marine Area may be conveniently subdivided into a 

 shallow-water and into a deep-water district. 



The 100-fathom contour is a natural boundary line for the former off 

 the north and west coasts of the British Islands for the following reasons : 

 1. It is defined on all charts; 2. The Admiralty soundings are veiy com- 

 plete down to that depth; 3. The 100-fathom line roughly corresponds 

 with the beginning of the declivity of the continental plateau ; 4. There 

 is a marked change in the fauna about that limit ; 5. Moat of the dredg- 

 ings of British naturalists have been taken within that contour. 



The only boundary on the south and east is the half-way line between 

 Great Britain and the Continent : this should include the Dogger Bank. 



The above district may be termed ' The British Marine Shallow- 

 water District.' 



The deep-water district of the British Marine Area may be regarded 

 as extending from 100 to, say, 1,000 fathoms — that is, to the commence- 

 ment of the abysmal floor of the ocean. As these depths occur only off 

 the north and west coasts, this region may be termed ' The British Atlantic 

 Slope District.' 



The Channel Islands lie outside the British Marine Area proper. 



