the British Association Table, announced his intention of going to New Britain for the purpose of studying the anatomy and embryology of Nautilus pompilius, and kindly offered to assist in the erection and management of the new laboratory. Dr. Dohrn laid great stress on the necessity of instructing native fishermen for the service of the new Station in order to save European naturalists as much as possible all bodily exertion connected with their scientific pursuits, and to enable them to concentrate full energy on their mental work. With this object in view Mr. Parkinson has sent two young Papuans to Naples, and they are now being instructed by Signor Salvatore Lobianco in the various and well-known arts of the Zoological Station. From the latest accounts received from Naples this novel experiment of transforming two Papuans into biological fishermen offers every prospect of success. This new Colonial Station will remain under the control of the Naples Station, and Dr. Dohrn hopes soon to make known such regulations and conditions as may enable competent naturalists to work there profitably and successfully. The progress of the various publications undertaken by the Station is summarised as follows: 1. Of the 'Fauna und Flora des Golfes von Neapel,' the monograph by Dr. W. Müller on 'Ostracoda' (404 pp., 40 plates), has been published. Monographs by Dr. Bürger on Nemertinea' and by Dr. Jatta on 'Cephalopoda' are in the press. 2. Of the Mittheilungen aus der Zoologischen Station zu Neapel,' vol. xi., parts iii. and iv., with 11 plates, have been published. ་ 3. Of the Zoologischer Jahresbericht,' the whole Bericht' for 1893 has been published. 4. A new and thoroughly revised German edition of the Guide to the Aquarium' has been published. The details extracted from the general report of the Zoological Station, which have been courteously furnished by the officers, will be found at the end of this report. They embrace lists (1) of the naturalists who have occupied tables since the last report, and (2) of the works published during 1894 by naturalists who have worked at the Zoological Station. The preserved specimens sent out by the station during the year ending June 1895 comprised 180 consignments, amounting to about 14,900 fr., as against 194 consignments amounting to 17,687-70 fr. in the preceding year. I. Report on the Occupation of the Table. By Mr. M. D. HILL. I occupied the Table of the British Association from October 1, 1894, to February 20, 1895. I investigated the maturation and fecundation of the ova of certain Echinoderms and Tunicates in order to clear up, if possible, certain debated points, more especially as regards the origin and behaviour of the centrosome. When I began to work, Fol's account of the 'Quadrille des Centres had been accepted unchallenged, and so gratifying were his results from a theoretical standpoint, that several text-books had reproduced his figures as being true representations of what actually occurs. Since sending in an account of my work to await publication, two memoirs have appeared dealing with the same subject. The authors have arrived at practically the same results, and as they all agree very closely, it is unnecessary to recapitulate mine at any length. It will be sufficient to state that according to all three accounts there is nothing resembling a 'quadrille'; the centrosomes and astrospheres owe their origin to the 'body' of the spermatozoon; and there is no trace of an egg-centre or egg astrosphere. In the finer details, however, our accounts differ somewhat, and I venture to think that Messrs. Wilson & Matthews have entirely, and Professor Boveri partly, overlooked the true centrosome. The two former authors describe the astrosphere as containing no centrosome proper, but in its place a network closely resembling an ordinary nuclear reticulum. This condition is maintained throughout. Boveri, on the other hand, finds a minute deeply-staining centrosome shortly after the sperm head has penetrated into the ovum. In the later stages this centrosome swells up into a large hollow vesicle. I agree with Boveri in his first statement, but believe that later on he has missed the true centrosome, and has figured and described as a vesicle the 'heller Hof,' for I find at this stage a deeply-staining sharply-defined centrosome in the midst of a clear 'heller Hof.' My attention was chiefly confined to Sphaerechinus granularis, and it may be, though it seems highly improbable, that a different process may take place in different species. In the tunicates Phallusia mamillata and Ciona intestinalis I found much the same relations as in the Echinoderms as regards the origin and behaviour of the centrosome, and for this investigation the Ascidian ovum proved a very favourable object to study. I have been able to trace carefully the maturation and fertilisation in Phallusia, and have coupled my results in one paper with those I obtained from studying the Echinoderms. I was also able, though with rather less certainty, to make out the number and mode of division of the chromosomes during maturation. The nucleus of the ovocyte I. (to use Boveri's well-known nomenclature) contains eight chromosomes. From their subsequent behaviour I see no reason to suppose that they form two 'Vierer Gruppen,' but look upon them as of equal independent value. The eight chromosomes divide by transverse division into sixteen for each polar body, eight therefore remaining in the nucleus of the ovum (female pro-nucleus). There is therefore, here at any rate, no 'reducing' or 'equalling' division. Owing to the very small size and close approximation together of the chromosomes, this part of the work was attended with considerable difficulty. The sperm head breaks up into eight chromosomes, and the first segmentation spindle therefore contains sixteen, the normal number for the species. It would be out of place to discuss here the bearing these results may have on points of general cytology, or on those theories of heredity which have been based on observations of like phenomena in other forms, above all, in Ascaris megalocephala. Before closing this report, however, I should like to emphasise once more the great advantages which an occupation of a Table at the Naples 1 Boveri, 'Ueber das Verhalten der Centrosomen bei der Befruchtung des SeeigelEies,' Verhandl. des Phys.-med. Gesell. zu Würzburg, Bd. xxix., 1895. Wilson and Matthews, Maturation, Fertilization, and Polarity in the Echinoderm Egg.' Journ. of Morphol., vol. x., No. 1. Station has for a student of zoology, and especially for one who like myself had just finished his University course. Although original research is doubtless the main object of most who go to Naples, still it is impossible to over-estimate the value of the knowledge gained by seeing and becoming acquainted with the rich fauna of the bay. Personally speaking, to observe alive so many forms only seen before in drawings, or at most as preserved specimens, has been a source of keen enjoyment. Further, the intercourse with men of other nationalities, and of other ideas and methods, cannot but have a beneficial effect on those who stay for any length of time. For these privileges my sincere thanks are due to the Committee of the British Association. IL A List of Naturalists who have worked at the Zoological Station from the end of June 1894 to the end of June 1895. III. A List of Papers which were published in the year 1894 by the Naturalists who have occupied Tables in the Zoological Station. Observations on the Development of the Head in Gobius capito. Quart. J. Micr. Sc.,' vol. 35, 1894. Die Embryonolentwickelung u. Metamorphose der Cornacuspongien. 'Zool. Jahrb.,' Abth. Anat. u. Ontog., Bd. 7, 1894. The Organogeny of Asterina gibbosa. Proc. R. Soc.,' vol. Ueber die Regenerationsvorgänge bei den Siphonaceen. On Certain Correlated Variations in Carcinus mænas. Contribuzione alla genesi degli organi negli Stelleridi. 'Atti R. Accad. Sc. fis. e mat.,' vol. 7, 1894. Studii anatomici sulla famiglia Ophrotrichida del Golfo Sull' apparecchio genitale del Syndesmis echinorum. 'Boll. ་ Ueber die Blutkörperchen bei wirbellosen Thieren. Sitz. The Median Eye of Adult Crustacea. 'Zool. Anz.,' Jgg. 17, 1894. Protandric Hermaphroditism in Myzostoma. Ibid. La structure des palpons d'Apolemia uvaria, Fsch., et les phénomènes de l'absorption dans ces organes. Bull.! Acad. R. Belgique,' t. 27, 1894. Beobachtungen über den Lichtsinn augenloser Muscheln. 'Biol. Centralblatt,' B. 14, 1894. Vergleichend physiologische und anatomische Unter- Experimentelle sinnesphysiologische Untersuchungen an Zur Schilddrüsenfrage. Leipzig, 1894 (partim). On the Germinal Blastema and the Nature of the so-called 'Reduction Division' in the cartilaginous Fishes. 'Anatom. Anz.,' B. 9, 1894. . Beiträge zur Kenntniss der Anordnung, Correlation und Der mikroskop. Bau des elektrischen Organs bei Torpedo. Intorno al rene dei Tectibranchi. Italiano,' Anno 5, 1894. 'Monitore Zoologico Sull' origine del simpatico nei Vertebrati. Tunicatenstudien. 1894. 'Rendic. R. Mitth. Zool. Station, Neapel,' B. 11, Beiträge zur Entw.-Geschichte der Synascidien. 1. Ueber Ostracoden. 21. Monogr. Fauna u. Flora des Golfes von Zur Kenntniss der Furchung bei den Ascidien. Arch. f. mikrosk. Anat.,' B. 44, 1894. Beiträge zur Kenntniss der Anatomie und Entwickelung der Nesselorgane der Hydroiden. Archiv f. Naturg.,' 60 Jgg. I., 1894 (partim). The Nephridial Duct of Owenia. Anat. Anzeiger,' B. 10, Die Accommodation des Fischauges. Arch. f. d. ges. Le degenerazioni dell' encefalo e dei muscoli negli Scyl- Apologische Notizen. Bull. Soc. Nat. Moscou,'t. 8, 1894. Ricerche anatomiche intorno alla midolla spinale dell' Mittheilungen über Siphonophoren. I. Nesselzellen. 'Zool. · Ueber den zeitlichen Verlauf des Erregungsvorganges in Einige Beobachtungen an den elektrischen Nerven von |