Dr. Johnston's Catalogue of Zoophytes. 239 



No. X. — A Descriptive Catalogue of the recent Zoophytes found on 

 the Coast of North Durham. By George Johnston, M. D., Fellow 

 of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. 



Read, April 16, 1832. 



" Mihi firme persuadeo, eum, quiplantas marinas et insecta marina perscrutari velit, magna perfusum 

 iri voluptate : est enim hie novus Microcosmus, cujus incolae parum innotuerunt, sed qui propter pro- 

 prios propagandi modos, ritus, asconomiam, aliasque qualitates, attentione Natura; Venatoris sunt 

 dignissimi : Ea tamen voluptas non caret incommodis, quia per difficile est, piscatores docere, (licet laute 

 remunerentur) quomodo conservare capta inventa possint, qurecumque in foro vendere nequeunt." 



Bastekus. 



1 he following Paper embraces an account of such Zoophytes as I have 

 found in Berwick Bay, a portion of our coast about twenty five miles 

 in extent, bounded by Holy Island on the south, and on the north by 

 the bold promontory of St. Abbs' Head. The town of Berwick is 

 situated almost exactly midway between these points, so that my posi- 

 tion is very favourable for the investigation of the natural productions 

 of the intermediate shores ; and I should not have presumed to lay this 

 Catalogue before the Natural History Society of Northumberland, did 

 I not feel assured that it will be found to contain, not probably a com- 

 plete, yet such a full list of their Zoophytes as will suffice to convey an 

 accurate view of their number and variety ; and may be of service to 

 any one who shall in future attempt to illustrate their distribution on 

 the shores of Britain. 



The descriptions of the species have been invariably made from the 

 specimens before me, and in almost every instance without previous re- 

 ference to the descriptions of others ; a circumstance which I have 

 thought it proper to mention, because it may enhance the value of a 

 local catalogue to know to what extent it may be relied on as affording 

 data to determine how far peculiar situations affect the appearances 



VOL. II. 3 e 



