1782. Scolopendrium vulgare, Symons. Formerly abundant in some stations near Bath, but being rapidly reduced by dealers (S. S. B.).

1789. Polystichum lobatum, Presl. Roadside between Yorton railway station and Clive, Salop; has disappeared (W. P.).

1790. Polystichum angulare, Presl. Disappearing from neighbourhood of Plymouth through action of fern-collectors and dealers, and of persons who transplant the roots into gardens (D. D. D.).

1792. Lastraa Oreopteris, Presl. Disappearing from east-end of Longmynd, near Church Stretton, Salop, through visitors (W. P.).

1793. Lastræa Filix-mas, Presl. Far less plentiful round Bath, mainly through dealers (S. S. B.).

1802. Phegopteris Dryopteris, Fée. Light-spont Valley, near Church Stretton, Salop; all but exterminated by visitors (W. P.).

1803. Phegopteris Robertiana, A. Br. (= Polypodium calcareum). Near Melksham, Wilts; disappeared through building operations (B. S.).

1804. Phegopteris polypodioides, Fée (= Polypodium phegopteris, L.). Has disappeared from banks of river Dart, S. Devon, through collectors (F. A.).

1806. Osmunda regalis, L. Disappearing from neighbourhood of Plymouth, from action of fern-collectors and dealers, and of persons who transplant the roots into gardens (D. D. D.). Now scarce in N. Devon, through collectors (W. P. H.). A few years ago most abundant both in N. and S. Devon, but now rapidly disappearing everywhere through collectors (T. H. A.-H.). In Shropshire much reduced by collectors (W. P.).

1825. Lycopodium clavatum, L. Formerly plentiful on the Longmynd Hills, Salop, but now scarce; 'I have seen it at the hotel at Church Stretton used to decorate the table' (W. P.). [The same decoration is very common at shooting-breakfasts in the Highlands.]

Report of a Committee, consisting of Professor NEWTON, Mr. JOHN CORDEAUX (Secretary), Messrs. JOHN A. HARVIE-BROWN, R. M. BARRINGTON, W. EAGLE CLARKE, and the Rev. E. P. KNUBLEY, appointed at Leeds to make a digest of the observations on the Migration of Birds at Lighthouses and Light-vessels, which have been carried on by the Migration Committee of the British Association, and to report on the same at Cardiff.

THE Committee have to report that, regarding the Migration Digest, very considerable progress has been made during the past year with the systematic tabulation of the facts collected during nine years by the Committee. These have been arranged under the head of species for a given month, and on a plan that shows at a glance the date and distribution, numbers, time of occurrence of each movement, on all coasts and subdivisions of coasts. Initiatory steps have been taken in the preparation and printing of a schedule on which these results will be finally tabulated and submitted to the Association as the chief portion of the Final Report; also a map showing the distribution on the British coasts for each species on migration. These schedules and maps will form the most bulky portion of the final digest, and when completed will show (for several species on each sheet) the results already mentioned, and permit of a ready comparison of all the movements in every aspect and over a given time.

Your Committee would respectfully solicit their reappointment as before; and, while engaging to bring the enquiry to a conclusion with the least possible delay, they find it impossible to pledge themselves to any fixed date for completing the work.

Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor FLOWER (Chairman), Professor M. FOSTER, Professor RAY LANKESTER, Professor VINES, and Mr. S. F. HARMER (Secretary), appointed for the purpose of arranging for the occupation of a Table at the Laboratory of the Marine Biological Association at Plymouth. THE Committee have followed the precedent of the previous year in not employing the grant of 301. entrusted to them in taking a table for a complete year; but they have made use of portions of the grant, from time to time, as the occasion arose.

They have nominated the following persons to the use of a table at Plymouth :

Miss Florence Buchanan, for one month (July, 1891).

Mr. S. J. Hickson, M.A., D.Sc., Fellow of Downing College, Cambridge, for one month (from August 26, 1891).

Mr. A. Willey, for six weeks (from August 3, 1891).

No payment is made for one of these months, while the remaining period is paid for at the rate of 51. per month. The Committee have therefore to report that they have only spent 121. 10s., leaving an unused balance of 177. 10s.

The Committee are obviously unable to give any detailed information with regard to the results of their employment of the grant. Miss Buchanan is already working at Plymouth, and is engaged in the systematic study of the species of Polychaeta occurring at Plymouth, with a view to preparing a list of the Polychat fauna of that neighbourhood; she is also making observations on the regeneration of lost parts in Nereis and in Nephthys, and on the variation of Nereis diversicolor. Mr. Hickson proposes to investigate the development of Alcyonium; and, if time permits, to study certain points in its physiology and minute anatomy. Mr. Willey expresses his intention of investigating the group of the Tunicata.

The Committee believe that the nominations which they have made are a sufficient evidence of the utility of the grant in assisting wellqualified persons who are anxious to work at the Plymouth Laboratory; and they ask the Association to re-appoint them, and to place at their disposal 177. 10s., being the unused balance of the grant made to them at the Leeds Meeting.

Experience has shown that applications for nomination are likely to be made for the summer months only, as in the two preceding years. The Committee wish to point out that, if this is the case, they do not expect to be able to furnish at the ensuing meeting of the Association a detailed Report on the investigations undertaken with the assistance of the new grant; but they hope to be in a position, if re-appointed, to give a more complete account, in their next Report, of the results of the investigations which are in progress, or which are about to be made with the assistance of the grant which has just expired.

Report of the Committee, consisting of Dr. P. L. SCLATER, Professor RAY LANKESTER, Professor CoSSAR EWART, Professor M. Foster, Mr. A. SEDGWICK, Professor A. M. MARSHALL, and Mr. PERCY SLADEN (Secretary), nominated for the purpose of arranging for the Occupation of a Table at the Zoological Station at Naples.

[Ordered to be printed among the Reports.]

THE Committee regret to report that at the last meeting of the Association held in Leeds the Committee of Recommendations did not sanction the grant approved by the Committee of Section D for the use of a table at the Naples Zoological Station. A communication, signed by the President of the Section, was addressed to the President of the Association, by whom it was read at the last meeting of the General Committee, expressing the disappointment felt by the Committee of Section D at the decision of the Committee of Recommendations, and pointing out that in their opinion the cessation of the grant would act as a serious discouragement to biological investigation, and would place British naturalists at a great disadvantage.

Fortunately the Committee have not been deprived of the privilege of nominating workers to occupy a table during the past year at the Naples Zoological Station, Captain Noble, the President of Section G, having generously given 1001. for the purpose of maintaining a table as in previous years, an offer which the General Committee authorised the Committee to take advantage of. The Committee desire to express their high appreciation of Captain Noble's singular liberality, and to place on record their indebtedness to him for rescuing British biologists from the unenviable position in which, but for his generosity, they would have been placed.

The Committee beg to direct the attention of the Association to the fact that three applications from competent workers for permission to use the table had been received by the Committee when they applied for the renewal of the grant at Leeds; and that for the last four years applications have always been in the possession of the Committee to justify their recommending the continuance of the grant, and they would, therefore, respectfully submit to the Association that the grant has in no case been applied for without a definite purpose, and to assist a specific object of research.

The Committee trust that the Association will sanction the payment of the grant of 100l., as in previous years, for the hire of a table in the Zoological Station at Naples; and they strongly recommend the continuance of this grant as a means of affording to British naturalists advantages for prosecuting research which are unobtainable elsewhere.

The Committee have received an application for permission to use the table from Mr. Arthur Willey, who proposes to make a special series of investigations on the Ascidians, which will occupy him from the end of September, through the winter and spring of next year, and the Committee express the hope that the Association will enable them to sanction this application.

Two gentlemen have occupied the table during the past year, Mr. William R. Melly and Mr. Edward J. Bles, and their reports upon the nature of the work undertaken are appended. The Committee would

direct attention to the remarks made by Mr. Bles upon the special advantages to be derived from working at the Naples Zoological Station.

The Publications of the Station. The progress of the various works undertaken by the Station is here summarised :

1. Of the Fauna und Flora des Golfes von Neapel' no monograph has been published since the last report. The preparation of the monographs comprised in this series requires, on account of the complete and exhaustive manner in which the subjects are treated, a considerable length of time, which can only rarely be estimated beforehand. It becomes on this account very difficult to publish regularly a yearly set of monographs. The comparatively small number issued lately will, however, soon be balanced by the publication of an increased number of works, as the following monographs are now in hand, and the three or four first named will soon leave the press :

Prof. Della Valle of Modena, on 'Gammarini.' Prof. Spengel of Giessen, on Balanoglossus.' Dr. Giesbrecht of Naples, on 'Pelagic Copepoda.' Dr. Jatta of Naples, on Cephalopoda.' Dr. Vosmaer of Utrecht, on 'Spongia.' Prof. Falkenberg of Rostock, on Rhodomeleæ.' Prof. Apáthy of Klausenburg, on 'Hirudinei.' Dr. Bürger of Giessen, on 'Nemertini. Prof. Chun of Breslau, on ' Siphonophora.' Dr. v. Davidoff of Munich, on Appendicularia.' Dr. Müller of Greifswald, on Ostracoda.' Dr. Schiemenz of Naples, on Pteropoda.' Prof. v. Koch of Darmstadt, on Alcyonaria.'

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2. Of the Mittheilungen aus der Zoologischen Station zu Neapel,' vol. ix., part iv. with 10 plates, has been published.

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3. Of the Zoologischer Jahresbericht' the whole 'Bericht' for 1889 has been published.

4. Of the 'Guide to the Aquarium,' a new German and a new French edition (illustrated) have been published. A new English edition (illustrated) is being prepared.

Extracts from the General Report of the Zoological Station.-The officers of the Station have courteously furnished lists (1) of the naturalists who have occupied tables since the last report, (2) of the works published during 1890 by naturalists who have worked at the Zoological Station, (3) of the specimens sent out by the Station during the past year. These details, which will be found at the end of this Report, are the most convincing evidence of the growth and efficiency of the institution.

I. Report on the Occupation of the Table. By Mr. WILLIAM R. MELLY.

I arrived at Naples on October 28, and was most kindly received by Professor Dohrn.

I worked at the Station every day until December 7, when I was unfortunately taken ill with rheumatic fever, and remained so unwell for the rest of my stay in Naples that I was able to do very little work.

I left Naples on Saturday, January 3, as my doctor advised me to return to England.

Specimens of various sponges, chiefly Esperia Lorenzii containing Spongicola, were obtained for me almost every day during the first part of my stay. But as this animal lives in fairly deep water, it was unobtainable except in calm weather, and unfortunately during the last three weeks of my stay the weather was so bad that none were procured.

I kept my specimens in aquaria, through which a constant stream of

water flowed. At first they seemed to thrive exceedingly well, but later on they became very sluggish and hardly ever extended themselves. Whether this was owing to the time of year, or to the weather, which was exceptionally cold for Naples, or whether it was due to my having overcrowded my tanks, I am unable to say.

Spongicola fistularis, F. E. Schulze, inhabits several of the silicious sponges, but most of my work has been on specimens inhabiting either Esperia bauriana, O.S., or Esperia Lorenzii, O.S. In these two species, so far as I can judge from the few specimens of each that I have as yet been able to make sections of, although the internal anatomy is the same, the form of growth is different.

In E. bauriana the chitinous tubes are straight, and do not generally project more than 1 mm. above the surface of the sponge, and are very long, tapering as they go deeper into the sponge, till they join each other, forming a network. In E. Lorenzii, on the other hand, the tubes are much shorter, that is, they form a network inside the sponge considerably sooner, and they project often 2 or 3 mm. or even more above the surface, and are generally curved. This may be due to their being different species inhabiting different sponges, or it may be due simply to the different form of sponges they inhabit. For whereas E. bauriana is solid all the way through, E. Lorenzii is hollow, and therefore of course the tubes would be obliged to become curved and to join each other nearer the surface. I myself incline to the latter view, and I am also far from sure that when the Monactinellid group of sponges are thoroughly worked through it will not be found that E. bauriana and E. Lorenzii are the same species living under different conditions.

I have not studied these forms very closely, but from sections I have of them (cut always for the purpose of obtaining sections of the enclosed Spongicola) the anatomy of the two seems to me almost identical, as are also their spicules.

Coming next to my methods of examining and killing my specimens, the chief difficulty arose from the extreme shyness of these animals, as they will only extend themselves under the most favourable circumstances, and the slightest movement is sufficient to cause the whole colony to disappear again within their tubes. To examine them alive under anything like a high power is almost an impossibility. The slightest jar of the glass containing them, or of the table, almost invariably causes the instant disappearance of every tentacular crown in the colony.

I have often known them retract with nothing more than the jar caused by the lens entering the water in which they were lying.

When first taken from the aquaria in the morning, my specimens, which I placed in glass boxes about two inches in diameter and one in depth, full of water, would generally extend in from half an hour to an hour, but if they again retracted they usually took much longer, and frequently refused to extend themselves at all until they were again placed in running water.

The opacity of the sponge is another source of difficulty.

Owing also to the fact of the Spongicola tentacles being white against the opaque and also light-coloured background of the sponge, it is almost impossible to make out even the number of the tentacles.

With regard to killing them extended, I had practically no success whatever. I have tried all the methods I could hear of, but with very poor results indeed.