ON THE MARINE ZOOLOGY OF THE IRISH SEA. 323 



some of tlie characteristic bottom animals— sliells, ophiuroids, puly/oa, Arc. 

 After this sample has been removed and any special animals required liave 

 been picked out and put into store bottles, the whole of the remainder of 

 the haul is passed gradually through our set of three sieves (meshes jf inch, 

 ^ inch, and -^ inch respectively), which work up and down in a tall iron 

 cylinder filled with sea-water. The sieves are disconnected and examined 

 at intervals, and in this way many of the smaller animals of all groups 

 are detected and picketl out. Finally, the water in which the sieves have 

 been plunging is all strained by Mr. Thompson through his fine silk net, 

 and in this way many of the rarer bottom Copepoda are obtained, while 

 the finer sandy and muddy deposits retained by the finest sieve or in the 

 bottom of the cylinder are packed in canvas bags by Mr. Alfred Leicester 

 for further examination at home. These contain, of course, many minute 

 Mollusca, Ostracoda, and Foi-aminifera. By the time all these processes 

 have been completed the dredge has usually been hauled again, and a 

 fresh heap is lying on the deck awaiting investigation. On a successful 

 trip the members of the party, on an average four to six in number, are 

 kept constantly occupied, each man at his own work, from the commence- 

 ment of the first haul till the steamer is turned homewai'ds, and after that 

 the packing and labelling of specimens fill up the time until land is 

 reached. 



ADDITIONS TO THE FAUNA. 



As most of the expeditions took place round the Isle of Man the 

 material was generally brought back to the Port Erin Biological Station, 

 and sorted out into groups in the laboratory there, and then sent to the 

 specialists. Taking tlie groups in zoological order the most notable 

 additions as the result of this year's work have been — 



Sponges. — Dr. R. Hanitsch reports that the only actual addition to 

 our sponge fauna made during the last few months is Leiosella [Spongio- 

 'iielJa) jyulchella, Sowerby, which was dredged on May 14, 1894, at 14 miles 

 N. by W. from the Liverpool N.W. Lightship. This species was previously 

 known from the coast of Durham, the Skerries, Shetland, the west coast 

 of Ireland, the east coast of Greenland, and the North Pacific. A few 

 other doubtful species await further investigation. 



We are indebted for a list of the Hydroid Zoophytes and Polyzoa 

 which we have collected to Miss L. R. Thoniely, who has proved that the 

 Lofoea pigmrra of Alder possesses an operculum, and therefore Ijelongs to 

 the genus CalycdJa, and also has Gonothecaj which were previously un- 

 known. The total number of species of hydroids in our area is now eiglity- 

 uine, and the last dredging expedition has given us an interesting addition 

 to our fauna in Dlcoryne conferta^ which was growing on an Aporrluiis 

 shell ; it was only known previously from Cullercoats, Orkney, and 

 Shetland. Of polyzoa 123 species and fourteen varieties have now been 

 recorded. The most recent find is Crisia ramosa, which was I'ecently de- 

 scribed by Harmer from Plymouth, and which we find also at Port Erin. 



Mr. E. T. Browne has, during some visits to Port Erin, paid special 

 attention to the Medus.e, and has kindly supplied us with a list of a 

 dozen species, one of which, Amphicodoii fritillaria, has not previou.sly 

 been recorded for British seas. He has also found on .several occasions a 

 Siphonopliore (probably Halistemma) in Port Erin Bay and Lesueuria 

 vitrea, both new to our district, a7id the Ilalistemma, probably an addition 

 to the British fauna. 



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