REPORTS. 



175 



Class to the shore. Two outings were undertaken, the first to 

 Cobo and the second to I'Tslet. On both occasions a large 

 and enthusiastic gathering spent several hours among the 

 wonders of nature. During the visit to Cobo a new sponge 

 was found, Leuconia Jistulosa. It takes the form of an ellipti- 

 cal knob of twisted white thread standing on a short stalk. 

 The whole is less than ^-inch in height. 



Nothing new was found on the second excursion, but 

 many very interesting creatures were seen. The masses of 

 the small Red Sea-squirt (Styelopsts grosularia) which cover 

 the rocks at ITslet were greatly admired, as well as the beauti- 

 ful colours and varied forms of Botryllus schlosseris, B. 

 violacea, B. smaragdus and Botrylloides rubrum. The small 

 caves which abound on this piece of shore were a source 

 of endless enjoyment to those members who could squeeze 

 into the openings. In one cave species of nearly every 

 class found on our shores are to be seen, a fine colony of 

 Sagartia venusta studs a little pool at the base, the beautiful 

 discs of Corynactis viridis peep out from among the masses 

 of pendant Zoophytes and polyzoa on the roof. On a buttress 

 at one side is a huge mass of the grey sponge Pachymatisma 

 Johnstoni, while bordering the sea-ward entrance are to be 

 found sponges Leuconia nivea, Dictyocylindrus ramosus, and 

 a curious form like a small mass of purple crotchet cotton, 

 the name of which I cannot find out. 



But among all these wonders the two objects which 

 attracted the most attention were the Octopus (O. vulgaris) 

 and the large spiny star-fish (Urastcr glacialis). Another 

 rather interesting capture was a huge specimen of the Spider 

 Crab (Maia squinado), which on being presented to a fisher- 

 man called forth the remark from him " that this species 

 was quite rare at that spot, especially one of the size caught." 

 A specimen of Conger Eel ((?. vulgaris), about 3 inches 

 in diameter, was seen poking its head out of a crack in 

 the rock. On coming back from the shore a tide-washed 

 specimen of Arctus ursus (= Scyllarus arctus) was found 

 which although somewhat worn was sufficiently perfect to 

 show the curious flattened leaf-like processes on the head. 



On the whole the excursions were a great success and 

 many of the ladies took voluminous notes. I hope this branch 

 of nature study will be prosecuted with much zeal and success 

 at the Ladies' College. 



A few notes as to the best hunting grounds in Guernsey 

 may not be out of place. For all-round work, Bordeaux, 

 not the harbour, but a cove to the north thereof, although 



