SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 177 
of Diatoms and Peridinie. The Diatom maximum is 
described as being in the ** early months of the year,”’ 
and as diminishing at the end of March and beginning 
of April, which is certainly earlier than. in the Irish 
Sea. The Peridinize are said to reach their maximum 
about August, and linger on until December. The 
predominant Diatom in the Clyde sea-area in spring is 
Skeletonema costatum, a species which has not as yet 
occurred in our gatherings in the Irish Sea. Even in 
summer, however, when Diatoms are practically absent 
at Port Erin, it is evident that in the Clyde sea-area 
‘the Diatoms, though much less in total amount than 
in the earlier months, show a considerable increase in 
the number of forms.’’ 
Sir John Murray must have made many observa- 
tions on the plankton of some parts of the West of 
Scotland, during his work from the yacht ‘* Medusa ”’; 
but we understand that the results have not been 
published. 
It may be added that Professor P. T. Cleve gave a 
short account, in the Scottish I*ishery Board’s Report 
for 1896, p. 297, of the phyto-plankton of the 
‘* Research ’’ collections made in the Shetlands, and 
showed that the stations on the western side were rich in 
Diatoms (styli-plankton), while the hauls taken to the 
east of the islands were much poorer in Diatoms, but 
showed Dinoflagellates (tripos-plankton)—this again 
showing a difference between not very distant localities 
at the same time of year, due, according to Cleve, to 
the western stations being supplied by warmer Atlantic 
(‘‘ Gulf Stream Drift’) water characterised by species 
of Rhizosolenia. 
