235 



[WORK FEOM THE PORT ERIN BIOLOGICAL STATION.] 



NOTES on SOME SPECIMENS of Synapta 

 mharms from POET EEIN. 



By Heebeet C. Chad wick. 

 With Plates XVI. and XVII. 



[Read January 11th, 1895.] 



Dueing a visit to the Port Erin Biological Station in 

 September, 1893, Prof. Herdman drew my attention to a 

 number of living specimens of Synapta inhcerens, which 

 he had found in the muddy gravel at about half-tide mark 

 immediately below the station. As the species had not 

 been identified, I gladly assented to the suggestion that I 

 should examine and report upon the specimens. A 

 further supply was obtained, and after being kept in clear 

 sea-water for some days, in order that the contents of 

 their intestines might be voided, they were fixed in an 

 extended condition by the addition of sulphuric ether to 

 the sea-water in a tube, and finally preserved in 70 % 

 alcohol. Since the time above mentioned I have carefully 

 examined the specimens ; and I would like at this point 

 to acknowledge my indebtedness to my friend Dr. C. H. 

 Hurst of Owens College, for placing at my disposal some 

 large specimens of the closely allied species Synapta 

 digitata, from Naples, by the dissection of which I have 

 been able to supplement the results obtained from dissec- 

 tion of the smaller and less easily examined British 

 specimens. My thanks are also due to my friend Mr. F. 

 W. Gamble, M.Sc, of Owens College, for valuable assist- 

 ance with the literature. 



Specimens for sectioning were prepared by decalcifica- 



