Chiefly with the object of obtaining material from which comparisons of an intact plaice population with that at present existing in the North Sea might be made, I undertook, in August, 1907, a voyage in a commercial steam trawler to the new fishing grounds in the “White Sea.”

In the programme of work for the summer of 1906, it was decided by the Director that a series of cruises should be carried out by the Association's steamer Oithona to investigate the fauna of the deeper waters of the English Channel. The bearing S.W. ½ S., Magnetic, = S. 23° W., True,* from the Eddystone Lighthouse was chosen as a baseline, and the work was to be carried out with special reference to points at 10-mile intervals along this bearing. The fauna was to be investigated as fully as possible, and bottom-deposits, particularly stones, were at the same time to be carefully recorded and collected. In all, eight cruises were made, the work being extended nearly as fer as the 50-mile point.

Investigation of the geologic problems connected with the English Channel is no new matter. Setting aside all speculations deriving from the study of its coast-line, the first serious examination of the bed of the Channel was made by R. A. C. Austen, and his results published in the Proceedings of the Geological Society, 13 June, 1849. Although, as he states, he had examined the sea-bed with dredge and sounding-lead he has little to say as to its lithology. But none the less his work is a notable contribution to our knowledge, and his conclusions bear well the test of subsequent discoveries. Following Austen, in 1871, Delesse published his Lithologie des Mers de France, in which considerable attention is given to the Channel; and the lithology of its coastal deposits, and to some extent of the sea-bed, is considered in detail. But, valuable as this work is, its chief interest lies in the information given as to the nature of the sea-bottom, the grade and extent of the varying deposits. Austen and Delesse alike, and in agreement, point out the large areas of the Channel bed which are occupied by stones, boulders, and pebbles of some size, and argue on much the same lines as to the conditions which have formerly existed there.

I am indebted to the courtesy of Dr. Allen for the opportunity of examining the collections of these two orders of Crustacea in the Huxley's material.

None of the species are new to science, and but few of them present any features worthy of remark. The chief interest of the collection lies in its bearing on the known geographical distribution of the species captured for, out of a total of twenty-eight, no fewer than sixteen are recorded for the first time from localities south of the British Islands, while only eight of the species have previously been recorded from the Bay of Biscay. The bathymetrical range of five of the species recorded has been considerably increased by this material.

The following notes are confined to the species of Polychæta, which have been found by myself during the last four years, between tide-marks, on the coast comprised within the Borough of Torquay. Torquay is so well known as a hunting ground for the marine zoologist that it is unnecessary to describe the features of the shores. No special study of the Polychseta of Torquay appears to have been previously made, although the locality, Torbay, occurs somewhat frequently in the British Museum Catalogue of Worms.

This small species was described by Verrill in 1898, and first observed by Miss Verrill in 1892 near New Haven, U.S.A.

In 1902 Parker noted a number of new localities, and remarked upon its rapidly extending range on the American coast.

Voyage XCIII. Station 37. Northumberland ground. 40 fathoms. 1 specimen.

Voyage XCIIL. Station 56. Lat. 55°31' N. Long. 0° 53' W. 55 fathoms. 2 specimens.

The specimen from 93–37 was young and damaged. Expanse of disk and tentacles in a contracted condition, 30 mm.

During July and August, 1907 (Voyages XCII, XOIII, XCIV, XCV, and XCVI), the s.s. Huxley worked a series of stations reaching from near Cromer to St. Abb's Head more or less parallel with the coast line, and also a series further to the north, and extending around the eastern borders of the Dogger Bank.

The following list has been classified, so far as practicable, according to subjects, in order that it may be useful for purposes of reference. The list does not include publications recording the results of observations made on material supplied by the Association to workers in different parts of the country, of which a considerable amount is sent out each. year.