34 TEANSACTIONS LIVEEPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



most conspicuous and brightly coloured parts of the body, 

 are to be regarded as outgrowths of an epipodial ridge. 



The experiments with fishes referred to above, and 

 which I announced my intention of undertaking in last 

 year's L.M.B.C. report, have been fully described since 

 in the third report on the Nudibranchiata. They showed 

 that the order of edibility of the forms which were offered 

 to the fishes was : — Dendronotus, Doris, Ancula, and Eolis ; 

 Eolis being the most distasteful form, Ancula next, Doris 

 less so, and Dendronotus edible, but from its size offering 

 difficulties to the rather small fishes which we tried.* 

 These results are of importance in connection with the 

 explanation of the colours of the various Nudibranchs. 

 It is obvious that if an animal is not thoroughly objec- 

 tionable, from taste or otherwise, and has not yet become 

 conspicuous with warning colours, it will be an advantage 

 for it to be protectively coloured. Eolis is a most dis- 

 tasteful form, and has conspicuous colours of a warning 

 nature. Ancula is also distasteful and is conspicuously 

 coloured. Doris is less distasteful and is still protectively 

 coloured ; while Dendronotus, which I regard as edible, is 

 very effectually concealed amongst the seaweeds it lives 

 on, by its large branched cerata and red-brown colours. 



The " Hy^na" Expedition. 

 The Liverpool Salvage Association having once more 

 kindly placed their s.s. " Hyaena" at the disposal of the 

 L.M.B.C, a four days' dredging cruise was arranged and 

 successfully carried out at Whitsuntide. The old gunboat 

 left the Mersey on Friday, May 23rd, and steamed to the 

 Menai Straits. Some of the party spent the afternoon 

 and evening collecting on the shore at Puffin Island, near 

 which the " Hyaena" was anchored for the night. On the 

 * For further details see Trans, Biol. Soc, Liverpool, Vol, IV., p. 150, 



