MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 23 



will probalbly be even more successfully carried out next 

 year. The great majority had passed the fourth stage 

 before they were set free. 



4. The discovery of several rare and interesting 

 animals, and especially the enormous haul of plankton 

 obtained in the tow-nets on July 4th. From our little 

 shell-bend punt in a few minutes we obtained a greater 

 mass of minute forms of life in the tow-net than I have 

 ever seen before except off the North Coast of Norway, 

 and, as in the Arctic sea, so here on this occasion the bulk 

 of the gathering was composed of one species, Calanus 

 finmarchicus. Such extraordinary swarms of this highly 

 nourishing Copepod probably have an important bearing 

 upon the movements of such migratory fish as Herrings 

 and Mackerel. 



I may also record that we have this year hatched out 

 in the Aquarium the eggs of Loligo Jorbesi, the common 

 cuttlefish, which had been laid on the hauling rope of a 

 crab-pot, and were placed in a tank a few hours after 

 deposition. The young began to break out on October 13th, 

 eighty days after the eggs had been deposited, and fresh 

 batches of little cuttlefish appeared each morning for some 

 days in the tank, and were objects of great interest. 



For other interesting details in regard to both the 

 economic and the scientific work I must refer to Mr. 

 Chadwick's report in the Appendix. 



We are able to give this year a new map of our 

 district, in which the zones of depth are indicated, 

 accompanied by a series of sections which were prepared 

 for the Southport meeting of the British Association and 

 were published in the Handbook issued by the Local 

 Committee. The map and the sections across the area are 

 fully described on p. 25. 



