54 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



whelk, Purpura lapillus, contains a substance which in 

 its chemical properties and physiological action is allied 

 to the active substance obtained from the supra-renal 

 bodies of Vertebrates. This secretion was at first sup- 

 posed to be derived from the " purple " gland, Init 

 microscopic examination and re-actions seem to show that 

 the active substance is obtained from a glandular tract 

 lying alongside the purple gland (see paper by 11. E. 

 Roaf and M. Nierenstein in Proc. Physiol, ttoc, June 

 :32nd, 1907, Journ. Physiol., Vol. 36). 



Mr. Lomas has commenced a renewed examination of 

 the mineralogical constituents in the samples of bottom- 

 deposits that we bring up in the dredge from different 

 banks, and the results of his work will be given in a 

 future report. 



Mr. Douglas Laurie has started an investigation of 

 Dimorphism in male spider-crabs, but this has not yet 

 gone far enough to give any results. 



As Paracyathus pteropus, which we dredged this 

 summer from the Train bank, 8 miles off Port Erin, is 

 a distinctly rare British coral, it may be useful to print 

 here the following brief description drawn up b}^ Mr. 

 Chadwick from the animal now living in our aquarium : - 



Column — cylindrical, not much higher than the 

 corallum. 



Dish — flat, or very slightly raised in the centre ; no 

 distinct margin. 



Tentacles — twenty-eight in number, arranged in two 

 alternating circlets ; s stem gradually tapering, mem- 

 branous, translucent, studded with numerous warts 

 ( Pcnidophores) ; head sub-globular, opaque. 



Mouth — a lengthened and very mobile slit, with 

 crenulate lips. 



