MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 61 



This led in the following year to a systematic investigation 

 which we called the " Intensive Study of the Plankton," and 

 which has been continued from 1907 onwards to the present 

 time, annual accounts of the results being given in the Lanca- 

 shire Sea-Fisheries Reports. The chief results of the plankton 

 gatherings made in the summer of 1906 from the " Madge " 

 are given by Mr. Andrew Scott in an Appendix to this 20th 

 Report. 



We find in the Curator's report for 1906 that 15,000 

 visitors paid for admission to the Aquarium at the Biological 

 Station. This brings up the total number of visitors admitted 

 during these four years since the opening of the new Station 

 to over 50,000. Amongst many animals of interest which are 

 recorded as having appeared spontaneously in our Aquarium 

 tanks during this or succeeding years may be noted the 

 following : — large colonies of Halichondria panicea up to 

 16 inches by 8 inches, the compound Tunicate Botryllus smarag- 

 dus, the beautiful tube-building Polychaet worm Sabella pavonia, 

 extensive colonies of the Hydroid Podocoryne camea, multitudes 

 of the Medusoid Sarsia tubulosa (probably derived from a 

 species of Syncoryne growing in quantity in the suction pipe 

 through which the supply of water is drawn from the sea), 

 the Polyzoon Pedicellina cernua in colonies of large extent, 

 and dense aggregations of the little tubicolous worm Filograna 

 implexa — these being in addition of course to the many kinds 

 of Invertebrates and Fishes which are captured and placed 

 in the tanks by the Curator and his Assistant. 



The success of the work done at sea from the small 

 chartered steamer " Madge " during the summer of 1906 led 

 to the purchase early in 1907 of the S.Y. " Ladybird " (36 tons 

 and about 70 feet over all), which was constantly at work 

 during the Easter and summer vacations of this and the 

 following three years. This yacht proved very suitable for our 

 work and was fitted up with a dredging derrick forward and a 



