334 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Copepoda, studying the nature and ways of animals which are probably of 
greater economic importance to the world than the wheat plains of Manitoba 
or the gold of Klondike.” 
Tur Annual Report of the Millport Marine Biological Station for 1897 
has been issued. As regards the excellence of the position for this young 
but thriving station, we may quote the words of Sir John Murray, at the 
opening of the new building in May of last year :—‘ The station was 
excellent in many respects, but when all was said it was of very modest 
pretensions. In respect to accommodation, and to tanks and all appliances 
which were now necessary for the thorough investigation of the ocean, it did 
not attempt to compare with many similar institutions in this country, and 
on the Continent of Europe and in America. Still, it was a place of very 
great possibilities, and there was one respect in which it was superior to all 
the stations with which he was acquainted, and that was as regarded its 
position. Around the islands of Cumbrae they had every variety of sandy 
beach, of rocky shore, and of muddy bank, each of them with its own 
peculiar fauna and flora, and the rise and fall of the tide was such that these 
could be reached with very great facility. The researches of the Rev. 
Canon Norman, and of Dr. and Mrs. Robertson, had made these shores 
familiar among naturalists. Within a very few miles of that place, in the 
direction of Arran, there was a depth of 600 feet, where there were a great 
many deep-sea animals living quite unlike those found round about the 
shores. In upper Lochfyne and in Lochgoil there were still the remnants 
of Arctic fauna and flora, as was long ago pointed out by Mr. Smith, of | 
Jordanhill. In numerous places, where rivers enter into the Clyde sea- 
basin, there was a great variety of animals which lived in the brackish 
water, and at the mouth of the firth they found quite a different set of 
conditions. On one occasion the Duke of Argyll found that the shores 
around Kintyre were lined with a thick bed of organisms, which showed 
that sometimes the waters of the Gulf Stream were driven into this area. 
They had thus within easy reach of the Millport Station a great variety of 
organisms, and of conditions, a charming and attractive combination which 
was always desired by the inquiring naturalist.” 
From the Report of the Curator, Mr. Alex. Turbyne, we learn that it is 
now twelve years since the ‘ Ark’ was beached in Millport by the then Dr. 
John Murray, F.R.S., of the ‘ Challenger’ Expedition, and until May last 
she was, to the zoologist and botanist, the only centre of scientific interest 
in the Clyde district. Still, during that time she proved an incentive to 
visits of, amongst others, Prof. Haeckel, the late Prof. Schmidt, and Prof. 
Agassiz; and this goes to prove—if proof were necessary—that the new 
station was a necessity, and will bea great gain to marine biology. 
