MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 



103 



Algae which periodically cause, round our coast, what has 

 heen called "foul water." This was again noticed in 

 1886, and in subsequent years (Keport 3, p. 8). In 1889 

 (Keport 2) we noted the occasional occurrence of pheno- 

 menal numbers of Anomalocera pater sonii over certain 

 tracts of sea, and its subsequent complete disappearance. 

 We also in that year made our first observa- 

 tions upon the effect of " baiting " the tow-net 

 with an electric light, for use after dark both 

 at the surface and at the bottom of the sea 

 (for details see Keport 2, p. 17). Further 

 observations of this nature were made in 1889 

 (Keport 3, p. 27), and in the same 

 year's Keport we published a summary 

 of the observations throughout the 

 year upon the temperature of the sea 

 and the condition of the organisms 

 upon its surface. A further obser- 

 vation of surface organisms in con- 

 nection with "foul water" will be 

 found in the next year's Keport, for 

 1890. Other odd notes on the subject 

 occur scattered throughout our ten 

 previous Keports, and in Mr. Thomp- 

 son's various papers reprinted in the 

 volumes of the "Fauna" (see also 

 " Fauna," vol. I., p. 324, for lists of ( J^?~^ 

 surface organisms taken at Port Erin p. . ™ ... 



b Fig. 4. Tow-net with 



in the Summer of 1886).* electric light. 



Last year we went a step further, and, with the help 



* Prof. M'Intosh had carried out similar investigations for the Scottish 

 Fishery Board in 1888 (see Seventh Ann. Rep. Fish. Bd., Scot,, p. 259, 1889). 

 More recently Messrs. Bourne, Bles, Garstang, and others at Plymouth have 

 recorded the variations in the plankton at different times of the year, 



