THE 



MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN 



BEING THE 



EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 



OF THE 



LIVERPOOL MARINE BIOLOGY COMMITTEE. 



The past year lias been a most successful one so far as 

 regards work. We have had a larger number of students 

 at the Laboratory than in any previous year, the average 

 length of time spent by each in work has been greater, 

 we have had more investigators engaged in original 

 research, we have had greater success in our public 

 meetings, more has been achieved in the fish hatching 

 operations — but at the same time the number of our 

 subscribers is not increasing. 



We have this year again a loss by death to record. 

 Dr. Isaac Roberts, E.R.S., was a member of the Com- 

 mittee from its foundation and a constant subscriber to 

 the funds. In the early days, before Dr. Roberts moved 

 from Liverpool, he frequently took part in our dredging 

 and other expeditions. He was keenly interested in all 

 branches of Natural Science, and his great reputation as 

 an original worker in Astronomy must not be allowed to 

 conceal the fact that he was also widely known as a 

 Geologist, had considerable acquaintance with Marine 

 Biology, and was not only a Field Naturalist in his 

 sympathies but also by virtue of his observations. Before 

 the days of University College or the initiation of the 

 present scheme of work, he had made observations on the 

 constituents of the sandbanks in Liverpool Bay, and had 



