38 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



for oxidation of the organic matter disappearing, so that there 

 is no reason to suppose that the animal utilises any dissolved 

 organic matter which might hypothetically be present in the 

 sea- water. 



8. The rate of oxidation is throughout a slow one 

 representable by 120 to 130 milligrams per lobster of 220-300 

 grams at the commencement, and dropping to about half 

 this quantity towards the end of the experiment. This 

 amount corresponds to a little over one-tenth of a gram of 

 protein or carbohydrate daily. 



The investigation of the alkalinity of sea-water has now 

 been completed and the results will shortly appear. They 

 show interesting chemical relationships corresponding to the 

 known seasonal variations in the marine flora and fauna. 



S.Y. "Rum," 1913.— Foraminifera. 



It will be remembered that in last year's Report, in 

 connection with the work done from the yacht " Runa," 

 it was mentioned that a couple of dozen canvas bags of dredged 

 sand, mud and other deposits, brought up from the bottom 

 of the sea at various localities on the West Coast, had been 

 sent for investigation to Mr. E. Heron-Allen and Mr. A. Earland, 

 who are at present engaged on a monograph on the British 

 Foraminifera. Mr. Heron-Allen has been good enough to 

 send me the following note on the results obtained during 

 the past year and supplementing what he enabled me to state 

 in our last Report : — 



" Since the date of the last Report the examination 

 of the samples submitted to us has been proceeded with 

 uninterruptedly, and is now approaching completion. 



" The later samples have adequately fulfilled the promise 

 of the first four, the majority of the Stations having furnished 

 very extensive lists and affording valuable contributions to 



