BIOLOGY LECTURES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 89, 14 April 1892, Page 2

BIOLOGY LECTURES.

•'ANIMAL LIFE IN AUCKLAND

HARBOUR."

Last evening Professor A. P. Thomas delivered his opening lecturo of the biology course in connection with tho Auckland University College, in the College Lectureroom, Eden-street, the subject chosen being " Animal Life in tho Auckland Harbour." The lecture was a popular one, clothed in popular language, and proved a groat deal more interesting than College lectures are generally supposed to be. There was a large attendance, the lecture-room being well filled with ladies and gentlemen.

In opening his addresu Professor Thomas said ho hud chosen the aubjout of animal life in Auckland waters because ho saw that in Auckland less attention was davoted to the study of animal life than to the study of plant life. The observation of animal life was a very interesting etudy, and would well repay tho time and trouble ppent. The lecturer divided tho principal forms of life in the harbour into vertebrates and invertebrates, and subdivided the invertebrates into protozoa, ccelenterata (sponges), ehinoderniala (sea urchins, star-fish, etc.), verities and mollusca. He showed that the ascidian and the barnacle were degenerate animals. He dwelt largely on the life of sponges, which were found in the harbour in considerable variety of form and colour. He threw on his screen a number of excellent microscopic views, showing the inner life of the sponges, tho varioue canals and

long skeletons, and the ciliated cells and silicious spicules. The Professor described at length tho hydrozoa and tho medusa (jelly fishes), showing how, by gemmation, the jelly fish was detached from the bud of the colony, and became a free-swimming animal, propelling itself by pulsation. A good picture was shown of the ctelentorate commonly known as the Portuguese Man-of-war, and the ciliated sting cells were shown. The circulatory powers and comparatively high development of tho aacidian were dealt with, and tho manner in which the notochord, instead of developing into a vertebrate animal, degenerated. One kind of crab peculiar to the Auckland Harbour was shown by the aid of limelight, the tail being the subject. Eβ dwell! at some length on the crab's remarkable history, and told how one species clothes itself with seaweed and deludes the unsuspecting shrimp, as the besiogers deceived the garrison of Duusinare by using Bumham wood in a similar way. The limolighb views shown were very clear and interesting.