80 ZOOLOGY OF SEAHAM HARBOUR. 
I trust, next year, our coast may be regularly worked, much 
remains to be done, more especially in water of moderate depth, 
not frequented by the fishermen, and consequently unexplored. 
If such of our members as are interested in marine zoology 
would unite, take a district, and steadily work it at all convenient 
opportunities, the captures, after satisfying their own demands, 
might be divided amongst the several workers; by this means 
our cabinets would be wonderfully enriched, and observations of 
the habits and localities of animals greatly multiplied : inde- 
pendent of these considerations, first-rate collectors would be 
made from mere ‘ dabblers,” and an intimate acquaintance 
gained of those beautiful and marvellous forms of marine life, 
which are only seen in perfection when fresh from the “blue 
depths of ocean.” 
of the Committee, as being a most desirable opening for the 
I respectfully submit this to the consideration 
steady work of our Field Naturalists. 
5. OccurRENCE oF CoRYMORPHA NUTANS AT SEAHAM. 
I prepeep large numbers of this beautiful zoophyte during the - 
present year, in water varying from six to twelve fathoms. They 
are found on a sandy bottom, the base of the polypary being 
plunged in the sand, patches of which come up, adhering together 
by some peculiar viscid material put forth by the animal. Those 
taken were freely producing medusoids, the appearance and general 
character of which I had an admirable opportunity of observing 
and figuring—In Plate II., figures 1 to 9, are depicted the 
polypary, life size, and magnified representations of the medu- 
soids during their immature and perfect stages. The excessive 
delicacy of these animals renders it impossible to keep them alive 
longer than twenty-four to forty-eight hours, after which they 
droop and speedily decompose. ‘This species had not previously 
been taken on this coast ; the only other localities that I am 
aware of are, Bay of Stromness (Forbes and Goodsir), Fowey in 
Cornwall, and Isle of Man (Alder). It is unnecessary to give a 
description of this animal, as it has already been ably treated 
in Johnston’s History of British Zoophytes; but as the figure 
given in this work does not quite agree with those taken here, I 
