ON THE MARINE ZOOLOGY OK THE IRISH SEA. 455 



The Marine Zoology, Botam/, and Geology of fhe Irish Sea. — Third 

 Report of the Committee, consistinq of Professor A. C. Haddon, 

 Professor G. B. Howes, Mr. W. E. Hoyle, Mr. Clement Reid, 

 Mr. I. C. Thompson, Mr. A. 0. Walker, Professor F. E. Weiss, 

 and Professor W. A. Herdman (Chairman and Reporter). 



As ill the previous reports, the work has this year been, of necessity, 

 chiefly carried out by those members of the Committee who live near the 

 scene of action, and have been working at the Port Erin Biological 

 Station. Mr. Clement Reid, however, has been able to undertake in 

 London some geological investigations of the deposits dredged up and sent 

 to the Jermyn Street Museum, and his preliminary report will be found 

 below. Professor Weiss has been prevented by illness from helping in 

 regard to the botany of the district, but hopes still to undertake the 

 work. Mr. Walker and Mr. Thompson have contributed special reports 

 on the Crustacea ; the rest of this report has been drawn up by the 

 Chairman of the Committee, with the help of various naturalists whose 

 names are mentioned in connection with their work. 



The Committee have carried on their usual exploring work by means 

 of dredging expeditions and otherwise during the year. The specimens 

 obtained have been worked up by specialists, and the most noteworthy 

 additions to the lists are given below. The Committee do not propose, 

 however, to give so detailed a report this year, as they desire, if re- 

 appointed, to draw up for next year's meeting of the Association at 

 Liverpool a final report with complete lists, which they would appro- 

 priately illustrate by the exhibition at Liverpool of the collections made, 

 and by dredging expeditions, both from Liverpool and Port Erin, to 

 enable the biologists and geologists present at the meeting to judge of the 

 work of the Committee and examine their results. 



The following, therefore, is merely a brief outline of the work under- 

 taken during the past year ; with a discussion— for which the chairman 

 is chiefly responsible— of some parts of the investigations. 



DREDGING EXPEDITIONS. 



The Committee have organised the following expeditions since the last 

 report : — 



I. August 19, 1894.— Hired steam trawler 'Lady Loch.' Localities 

 dredged, around the Calf Island and to the west of Port Erin, at depths 

 of about 20 fathoms. 



II. August 25, 1894.— Hired steam trawler 'Albatross.' Localities 

 dredged, the open sea between Isle of Man and Ireland, at depths down 

 to over .50 fathoms. On this occasion some specimens of the tube- 

 building polynoid worm Panthalis Oerstedi were obtained, for Mr. Wat- 

 son's observations on the building habits, which have since been published. > 

 We also on this occasion photographed various kinds of deposits and 

 assemblages of animals as they came up in the dredge. 



III. September 30, 1894.— Hired steam trawler ' Lady Loch.' 

 Localities dredged, along the west side of the Isle of Man, at depths down 

 to 60 fathoms. 



' Trans. Biol. Soc, Liverpool, vol. ix. p. 1G9. 



