1903-1904.] 175 



the Fishery Station is to ascertain the time when such young 

 fishes come inshore, and to follow their subsequent migrations. 

 Six di£Perent species of Tunicata were also among the living 

 exhibits, and attracted much attention. Three of the species 

 were simple tunicates, while the others showed combination 

 of individuals to form colonies. The neighbourhood of Larne 

 seems rich in such forms, and earlier in the year large 

 numbers of the related genus Appendicularia were common 

 in the tow-net. Appendicularia, like the larval stages of 

 ordinary tunicates, shows decided affinities with vertebrates, 

 having skeletonic, respiratory, and nervous systems on the 

 same plan as the highest animals at an early stage of develop- 

 ment. The worms on view were of several kinds, and some 

 of them displayed their beauties to the best advantage. The 

 so-called "mad-worms" {Terehella) were the most striking of 

 all, and it was obviously a surprise to many of the Field 

 Naturalists to learn that such weird creatures were among the 

 commonest dwellers in the mud of Larne Bay. The cat- 

 worms (Nephthys) exhibited freely their characteristic habit 

 of shooting out their bag-like proboscis. Crustacea of various 

 families were shown, among them large numbers of Mysis, 

 the spectre-shrimp, which has given its name to the steam 

 launch of the Fisheries Association. The ears in the tail of 

 this quaint creature were demonstrated under the microscope. 

 Mysis is a common marine organism, but one species {M. 

 relicta) is specially interesting, because of its occurrence in the 

 fresh waters of Lough Neagh, where it forms an important 

 food of the Pollan. Several molluscs and star-fish were 

 shown, as well as some half-dozen species of local sponges. 

 Attention was also called to the beginning of a museum of 

 Marine Zoology, and the best methods of mounting prepara- 

 tions in spirit and formalin were illustrated. Finafly, the 

 numerous specimens already secured by the Fisheries 

 Association, and now stored on the shelves of the general 

 laboratory, were examined. They include a number of species 

 new to the district, and many that are named and avail- 

 able for reference, as well as not a few that are still to be 



