MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT TORT ERIN. 33 



at Port Erin for the purpose of visiting the Biological 

 Station, and they invited the Hon. Director of the Station 

 to give them an address on the occasion. The meeting 

 was held on August 14th under the presidentship of Dr. 

 Tellet. The Society arrived at midday, were received by 

 some of the members of the L.M.B.C., and all had 

 luncheon together at the Bellevue Hotel. At 2 p.m. the 

 members and their friends, making a party of nearly 70, 

 visited the laboratory, and the Director then gave an 

 address on the " Objects and Methods of Marine 

 Biology," with the view of defining the scope and nature 

 of marine biology and its relation to the study of biology 

 or natural history in general. He gave examples of the 

 problems of wide theoretical importance still awaiting 

 solution, and showed how much work of speciographic 

 and distributional interest could be done by local scientific 

 societies by means of sub -division and co-operation in 

 work. The origin of land animals from marine ancestors 

 was touched on, and some examples given of sea-animals 

 now living on our coasts, which are becoming accustomed to 

 breathe in air. Finally the subject of " bionomics," or 

 the relation between animals and their environment was 

 discussed, and cases given of protective and warning 

 colouring, of mimicry, and of the characteristics of species 

 having a definite utility and obvious connection with 

 the habits or surroundings. 



The remainder of the afternoon was spent in examining 

 the specimens under microscopes in the laboratory, and 

 in the tanks and aquaria, under the superintendence of the 

 Hon. Director and the Curator. 



Protective Colouring. 

 This is a subject which has been referred to in several 

 of these annual reports, and a number of new examples 



