688 BEPORT— 1894. 



The Plankton and Benthos animals are (with some exceptions discussed) more 

 stenothermal ; hence results the known divitiion of the coasts. 



A distribution of the animals of the open ocean into regions is possible too, 

 chiefly on account of the currents. 



Some instances of that were given from the facts of the Plankton expedition, 

 chiefly of the Medusw, which have been worked out by Dr. Maas. Most interest- 

 ing in this regard are the Geryonids, w/iich in every ocean basin do not exceed a 

 certain N. or S. latitude, and which as PkiJikton animals occupy a similar 

 portion of the map as the corals of the Benthos. 



Dr. Maas is led to the conclusion that a comparison between the vertical 

 differences and those found in higher latitudes can only be carried to a limited 

 depth. 



The horizontal distribution of the pelagic fauna is not compensated by the 

 vertical difl'erences. 



There are no various belts of vertical life ; the intermediate fauna between the 

 Plankton of the surface and the Benthos of the abyss maj' be supposed to be only 

 Nekton. 



This is valid for the deep sea. In lower seas the life may be continuous from 

 the surface to the bottom. Sometimes special conditions, especially of temperature, 

 prevail {e.g., in the Mediterranean, where a depth of 2,000 m. shows 13°). The 

 occurrence of a deep-sea pelagic fauna, neither belonging to the surface nor iu 

 connection with the ground, as well as the survival of deep-sea animals coming 

 to the surface, may be explained by this higher temperature. 



5. Second Report on the Zoology of the Irish Sea. 

 ■ See Reports, p. 318. 



6. On Marine Fish-hatching and the Dunbar Establishment of the 

 Fishery Board for Scotland. By Professor W. C. McIntosii, F.E.S. 



It was stated that we are yet in doubt as to the beneficial effects to the fisheries 

 of the artificial hatching of sea-fishes, hut that the importance of the issue demanded 

 a thorough trial. Several nations, such as the Americans and Norwegians, had 

 chiefly experimented with the cod, other forms having., been dealt with in small 

 numbers. Though the sole was selected as the most suitable species, the lateness 

 of its spawning period gave an opportunity for a preliminary series of experiments 

 with the plaice. Accordingly a total of 390 plaice Avere collected, the average 

 size of tlie males being about 17 inches, and that of the females about 20 inches. 

 From these 27,350,000 ova were obtained, hatched in the boxes (Dannevig's), and 

 the larval plaice — to the number of 20,000,000 — sent into the sea, the loss in the 

 process being only about 4*4 per cent. 



At Dunbar the eggs are shed in the spawning-pond, and carried to the spawn- 

 collector by tlie current. They are then counted and placed in the hatching- 

 boxes. The sea-water for these is passed through a series of flannel-filters, so as to 

 secure purity. Moreover, besides the current entering the end of the box, an up- 

 and-down movement is communicated to tbem twice every minute, so that the ova 

 are evenly distributed through the water. On the whole the operations for the 

 lirst year were most successlul.' 



Department op Botany. 



The following Papers were read : — 



1. On the Correlation between Root and Shoot. By Professor L. Kxy. 



' A full account of the experiments will be given by Dr. Fulton in the forth- 

 coming Trvelfth Annual Bcjiort of the Fishery Board for Seutlani. 



