February 3, 1899.] 



SCIENCE. 



167 



town of Quimper. Like Roscoff, it can be 

 easil}- reached by the way of Southampton 

 and St. Malo or from Havre via Paris. 

 Fishing aud sardine packing are the prin- 

 cipal industries of the place. The port 

 and the surrounding country are so pictur- 

 esquely beautiful that many artists make 

 their permanent residence in the vicinity. 



The laboratory is chieiiy devoted to fish 

 culture and the study of fishes, although 

 vpork at the station is by no means restricted 

 to this group. The building has two floors ; 

 the first story is devoted to the scientific 

 apparatus, to spacious private rooms for a 

 small number of investigators, a library 

 and a dark room for photography ; and the 

 basement contains large stone tanks and 

 other aquaria, provided with running sea- 

 water. Large vivaria, designed for hold- 

 ing fish, lobsters, etc., for scientific purposes 

 and for the use of fishermen, adjoin the 

 laboratory and extend out into the sea. 

 The station is well equipped for scientific 

 research. Here Selenka and other eminent 

 zoologists have done much of their best 

 work. 



The plankton at Concarneau is said to be 

 very rich, and certain forms of invertebrates 

 which inhabit a sandy shore and which do 

 not occur at Roscoff are found in abundance 

 at Concarneau. 



Finally, it should be said that the Direc- 

 tors of these and of other marine stations 

 in France which it has been the good for- 

 tune of the present writer to visit are most 

 hospitable and generous to American zo- 

 ologists. One may be assured that if he 

 goes to the coast of France to study he will 

 receive a hearty welcome. 



John H. Geeould. 



Stazione Zoologica, 



Naples, December 8, 1898. 



NOTES ON THE TIMES OF BREEDING OF SOME 

 COMMON NEW ENGLAND NEMEBTEANS. 

 Several papers by Professor Bumpus 



have appeared in this Journal on the 



times of breeding of invertebrates at Woods 

 Holl, Mass. In connection with these the 

 following notes on the nemerteans may 

 prove of interest to some who may desire 

 to carry on researches on the embryology 

 of this neglected group of worms. 



It does not seem to be generally known 

 that the eggs of some of our nemerteans 

 can be obtained in abundance at almost any 

 season of the year ; that those of many 

 species can be artificially fertilized, and 

 that they will develop readily in confine- 

 ment. Even in the case of those which 

 undergo an indirect course of development 

 the embryos can readily be reared to the 

 early pilidium-stage. The eggs of some of 

 the common species, moreover, are so very 

 transparent that many of the phenomena 

 involved in maturation, fertilization and 

 cleavage can be followed in the living ovum 

 without the use of stains. For these rea- 

 sons they afibrd most promising objects for 

 embryoiogical and cytological investigation. 



1. The eggs of Amjjhijwms ochraceus Verr. 

 are laid during the months of May and 

 June (or sometimes earlier) in the vicinity 

 of New Haven. "Worms which are kept in 

 captivity sometimes deposit their ova in 

 clusters of forty or more imbedded in a 

 common mass of mucus. They develop 

 readily in confinement, and the young 

 worms may be kept alive until they attain 

 a considerable size. As in most other 

 Hoplonemerteans the development is di- 

 rect. 



2. Amphiporus virescens Verr. Eggs ma- 

 ture at "Woods Holl in July and August. 

 They develop readily when laid in captivity, 

 although the number of eggs produced by a 

 single worm is small. 



3. Tetrastemma candidum Oersted. Ma- 

 ture in July and August at "Woods Holl 

 and New Haven. 



4. Tetrastemma vermieulm (Quatr.) Stimp. 

 Common on piles at "Woods Holl with ripe 

 ova in August. 



