1867.] Biology. 577 



the chair in the department of Zoology and Botany. Sir John 

 Lubbock, Mr. Alfred Wallace, Mr Gwyn Jeffreys, Professor 

 Newton (Cambridge), Professor Balfour (Edinburgh), Dr. Hughes 

 Bennett, Professors Turner, Michael Foster, Cleland, Allen 

 Thomson, and Dr. Eichardson were amongst those who took part 

 in the discussions. On Thursday morning the proceedings of the 

 Section were commenced by an address from the President. Dr. 

 Sharpey gave a very interesting account of the recent progress in 

 Physiological Science, alluding to new discoveries, and the appli- 

 cation of new instruments of research. He dwelt on certain 

 practical matters, which he considered of great importance, such as 

 the publication of records of progress, and of good and careful 

 illustrations to memoirs. Besides having scientific functions, the 

 British Association was the means of bringing together men in 

 friendly intercourse, which he considered one of its most important 

 offices. 



Taking the reports and papers as we have done before in order 

 of subjects, we commence with those on General Zoology and 

 Botany. Mr. Spence Bate, F.E.S., read his " Beport on the 

 Marine Fauna and Flora of the Southern Coasts of Devon and 

 Cornwall." He submitted lists of the various Mollusca, Annelids, 

 and Fishes which had been obtained ; his own attention had been 

 directed to the Crustacea, of which he described some new species, 

 and some highly interesting larval forms. 



Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys, F.B.S., read his fourth report "On 

 Dredging among the Shetland Isles." He recorded the occur- 

 rence of many interesting forms of Mollusca ; and a preliminary 

 report on other classes of marine animals, obtained by him, was 

 furnished by the Bev. A. M. Norman. Dr. M'Intosh stated that 

 Mr. Jeffreys had obtained for him a very fine lot of Annelids 

 from Shetland, which filled 118 bottles, and promised to be one of 

 the richest collections yet obtained. Mr. Jeffreys, in his report, 

 made some remarks on the large size attained by species of Mollusca 

 when living in boreal seas, as compared with that which they 

 exhibited in more southern latitudes : he also drew attention to a 

 ferret's tooth and some fragments of bone which had come up in 

 the dredge ; they had especial interest, as bones were hardly ever 

 found in this way, and opened up the question of the corrosive 

 action of the sea and its relation to the preservation of bones in a 

 fossil condition. Mr. Busk considered this as a very important 

 inquiry in relation to the antiquity of man ; and suggested that 

 experiments should be made as to the time and conditions of cor- 

 rosion by the sea. Dr. Gunther drew attention to the occurrence 

 of some Madeiran species of fish amongst those obtained off Shetland. 

 He could only account for their presence by the existence of a 



