26 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
beach, where one can land—in the dark. On striking a 
match it is seen that the sides of the cave are closely en- 
crusted with various kinds of colonial and sessile animals, 
especially with sponges, the characteristic feature of the 
place. Here Dr. Hanitsch revels in Pachymatisma john- 
stom, Dercitus bucklandi, Plumohalichondria atrosan- 
guinea, and other many-hued slimy-looking Tetractinellids 
and Monactinellids. Here he first found, a few years ago, 
the rare new genus which has been named “ Sewrtola,” in 
honour of our sainted predecessor on the isle (probably a 
good biologist according to the lights of his day and 
generation), who lived, as the naturalist always loves to do, 
beside the sea, the rocks, and the Puffins, and who possibly 
shoved his coracle on a calm evening into the sponge caves 
and saw in the dim light those curious white masses on 
the rock which some thirteen centuries after were dedicated 
to his memory. 
The calm weather also enabled us to land upon the 
Beacon rocks and explore their recesses and fissures. By 
the way, why has this beacon, standing on a dangerous 
rock surrounded by strong currents and eddies, in a 
channel frequented by fishing boats, flats, and other small 
coasting craft, not got any means by which a man reaching 
its base might cling on for a time or even climb to the 
top? A close-fitting iron ladder and a few rings and hooks 
would probably offer but little opposition to the flow of 
water over the smooth rounded masonry, and might at 
any time be the saving of the occupants of a boat carried 
against the rocks or upset in the immediate neighbourhood 
of the beacon. 
While suggesting improvements, I may be allowed to 
point out the excellent opportunity which the walls of our 
biological station would offer to an art teacher, and say 
half a dozen students, for the planning and carrying out 
