22 transactions liverpool biological society. 



The Aquarium. 



This part of our Institution has fully maintained its 

 popularity amongst the visitors to Port Erin, 11,660 of 

 whom paid for admission during the year. Of this num- 

 ber 7,690 were admitted during the eight weeks ended 

 September 10th, the record number for one day being 486 

 on August 11th. Increased success has been attained in 

 keeping the fishes and invertebrates in health ; indeed, but 

 for the accidental obstruction of the circulation in two of 

 the wall tanks the number of deaths would have been quite 

 insignificant. The erection of a second storage tank at a 

 higher level than the original one, and the inclusion of 

 the table tanks in the system of circulation have contri- 

 buted materially to this result. The attachment of a 

 glass tube to each of the taps over the wall tanks, whereby 

 the incoming water and bubbles of air are carried down to 

 the bottom of the tanks, has been found to ensure an 

 abundance of well-aerated water in every part. Some of' 

 the fishes and invertebrates acquired during the spring and 

 summer of 1903 survived the winter, and are still to be seen 

 in the tanks. The group of tube-building worms, Sabella 

 pavoniq,, mentioned in last year's Report as having been 

 obtained from the harbour buoy, have now lived in one of 

 the table tanks for more than twelve months, and have 

 grown considerabty during that time. We may also note 

 as old , inhabitants some of the specimens of the Spiny 

 Lobster, Palinurus vulgaris, one of which cast its shell re- 

 cently. The dried shell is now to be seen in the Museum 

 collection in the Gallery. 



During the early spring considerable progress was 

 made by Mr. Chadwick with the arrangement of the collec- 

 tions of invertebrates and local fishes in the desk and wall 

 rases in the Museum Gallery, and to these a collection of 



