162 KEPOET — 1880. 



volume of the 'Fauna und Flora.' It will thus be seen that Germany- 

 contributes a total sum of between 2250Z. and 2350?. per annum towards 

 the expenses of the undertaking : a truly noble support, when it is borne 

 in mind that the nation has no greater dii'ect participation in the 

 advantages of the Station than any other country or association that may 

 hire a table. 



In addition to the tables previously taken, one has recently been hired 

 by Belgium and one by the Italian Navy ; the last chiefly for the purpose 

 of instructing officers in the collection and preservation of marine 

 organisms. Russia has also prolonged its contract for five years. 



The Royal Society has granted 100?. towards the publications. 



Respecting the publications issued under the auspices of the Station, 

 the following monographs of the series ' Fauna und Flora des Golfes von 

 Neapel ' will be issued in the course of a few weeks : — 



1. Dr. Chun : ' Ctenophora.' 



2. Dr. Emery : ' On Fieresfer.' 



The remaining monographs mentioned in the previous Report are all 

 in a forward state ; and to the list already given there has recently been 

 added one by Dr. Andres on the Actinite of the Gulf. 



Of the ' Mittheilungen aus der Zoologischen Station ' (in which are 

 published, amongst other works, the investigations carried out by the 

 members of the staff of the Station which are not comprised in special 

 monographs) vol. i. and vol. ii. part i. have already appeared, and part ii. 

 is now in the press. 



The ' Prodromus Faunae Mediterranese ' is near completion, and may 

 probably appear during the year. 



The ' Zoologischer Jahresbericht ' for 1879 is in the press. 



The Library of the Station is continually on the increase, and the num- 

 ber of journals has been considerably augmented by the exchange of the 

 ' Mittheilungen ' for the proceedings published by other institutions. 



The collecting capabilities of the Station have gained an important 

 advantage in the Scaphander diving-apparatus. Officials belonging to 

 the establishment have already descended to a depth of 20 metres, and 

 remained over an hour on the sea-floor, searching for animals and plants ; 

 and by this method many new insights have been obtained. 



A new tow-net has also been constructed, according to a device of Dr. 

 Dohru's, by which the animals occurring in different dej^ths may be 

 caught ; the apparatus being so arranged that the net can be opened or 

 closed at any depth it may be desired to investigate. 



Surface-collecting is carried out daily as usual ; and dredging from 

 the steamer is prosecuted sevei'al times per week ; excursions for this 

 purpose having latterly been extended as far as Gaeta and the Ponza 

 Islands. 



In order to keep pace with the advances made in methods of in- 

 vestigation, various additions of apparatus and instruments have been 

 acquired by the laboratory : under this category may be mentioned four 

 new microtomes, a micro-polai'iscope, a spectroscoj^e, and an induction 

 apparatus, besides other apparatus which it is unnecessary to mention 

 here. 



Two elevated reservoirs have recently been erected, by which a regular 

 circulation of sea-water can be supplied to a number of smaller basins, 

 specially constructed as working laboiatory tanks. 



By means of the reconstructions carried out during the previous year 



