€94 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



II.— Repoet on the MEDTJSiE (1895-98). By E. T. Bkowne, B.A., 

 University College, London. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Peefatoet Eemaeks. 



Veey few species of Medusae have been recorded for the west coast 

 of Ireland ; and, owing to tlie yagneness of the descriptions originally 

 given to these forms, the records are now in most cases of little value. 

 Consequently it was impossible to fonn an idea as to whether the 

 lledusoid faima was similar- to that of the English coasts or totally 

 different from it ; and it was equally impossible to determine what 

 share the true Atlantic lledusfe took in adding to the richness of the 

 littoral fauna. 



Though the Medusae of the west have remained in a neglected 

 condition, there have been periods of great activity on the eastern 

 coast, more especially in the Dublin Bay district, where the labours 

 of Ray Greene (1857) and Haddon (1885) have produced valuable 

 contributions to our knowledge of the British ]\Iedus£e. 



The northern shores of Ireland and the Belfast district claim the 

 early work of Templeton (1836), Patterson (1859), Porbes, and 

 Thompson ; and the southern shores that of AUman. 



It was necessary for the progress of my research on the British 

 Medusae that I should investigate the fauna of the west coast of 

 Ireland. The fii'st visit to Yalencia Harboui', on the coast of Kerry, 

 was made in 1895, dui'ing April and May, with my friends Mr. W. I. 

 Beaumont and Mr. P. W. Gamble, to both of whom I am indebted for 

 much kindness and help. The second visit to the same locality was 

 made diu'ing the summer (July to September) of 1896, when I was a 

 member of a small expedition to investigate more thoroughly the fauna 

 of the hai'bour. 



This lleport, however, is mainly based upon a series of tow-nettings 

 taken by the Misses Delap, of Yalencia Island, to whom I am greatly 

 indebted, not only for specimens, but also for valuable notes and di'aw- 

 ings. I must take the responsibility for the contents of this Eeport 

 and the identification of the species ; but it is chiefly owing to the 

 Misses Delap that the Medusoid fauna of Yalencia Harbour is now 

 better known than that of any other locality within the British area. 



