New insights into the controversy surrounding marine biological laboratory (Marine Station) facilities in the Firth of Clyde in the early twentieth century

Three letters from the Sheina Marshall archive at the former University Marine Biological Station Millport (UMBSM) reveal the pivotal significance of Sheina Marshall's father, Dr John Nairn Marshall, behind the scheme planned by Glasgow University's Regius Professor of Zoology, John Graham Kerr. He proposed to build an alternative marine station facility on Cumbrae's adjacent island of Bute in the Firth of Clyde in the early years of the twentieth century to cater predominantly for marine researchers.

The Byzantine Fortifications of Amastris in Paphlagonia

This article is chiefly concerned with the chronology of the Byzantine fortifications of Amastris, which are the subject of current research by the authors, but, in order to set the settlement at Amasra and its fortifications into their context in the Black Sea area, the present study must commence with a brief account of some aspects of the monuments and history of the city in the Hellenistic and Classical periods.The present Turkish town of Amasra on the south coast of the Black Sea (Fig. 1; Pl. XXXVII a) occupies the site of the ancient city of Amastris which has a long history extending as least as far back as the period of Milesian colonisation in the Black Sea zone from the seventh century B.C. Like the more famous city of Sinope to the east, the settlement at Amasra stood on the isthmus of a peninsula projecting into the Black Sea. At Amasra the isthmus leads to the upstanding promontory rock, Zindan Kalesi (Dungeon Castle) on which part of the Byzantine fortification stands, and which protects the east harbour. The whole site is further protected by the closely adjacent island of Boz Tepe which encloses the northern side of the west harbour. The site was doubtless chosen for settlement because of its good natural harbours which, as will be seen, have been of central importance throughout the history of Amasra.

The conservation status of the birds of Negros, Philippines

SummaryOrnithological surveys were carried out in the remnant forests of the island of Negros, in the central Philippines, over five weeks in the summer of 1991. From this work it is concluded that, without the implementation of immediate conservation measures, the global extinction of four bird species is likely to occur in the near future. These are Negros Fruit-dovePtilinopus arcanus, Negros Bleeding-heartGallicolumba keayi, Writhed-billed HornbillAceros waldeniand White-throated Jungle-flycatcherKhinomyias albi-gularis. Another four species restricted to the lowlands of Negros and the adjacent island of Panay, Visayan Tarictic HornbillPenelopides panini, White-winged Cuckoo-shrikeCora-cina ostenta, Flame-templed BabblerStachyris speciosaand Visayan FlowerpeckerDicaeum (australe) haematostictum, must be considered under extreme threat, and the endemic Negros Striped-babblerStachyris nigrorumis under considerable pressure. A further twelve species listed as globally threatened are also in serious danger of extinction on Negros. This paper details the results of fieldwork and presents our conclusions and suggestions for conservation, which must include the direct preservation of the last fragments of lowland forest on the island.

Observations on Submerged Glacial Ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

Several large submerged ice masses are described from along western McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. The most important discovery is that Cape Chocolate and the adjacent island that form Salmon Bay are large, grounded ice masses mounted with morainal sediment. Both features are probably remnants of a past expansion of the Ross Ice Shelf. As such, their strata and potential temporal markers may help to unravel the glacial geological chronology of McMurdo Sound. The island was connected to Cape Chocolate during the early British Antarctic expeditions and split away between 1908 and 1956. Large sections of the Ross Ice Shelf have broken out along western McMurdo Sound several times since 1908. Ice walls grounded in shallow water were only observed near large receding ice masses. The location of these walls also corresponds to the recent calving pattern of the Ross Ice Shelf.

Introductory remarks

In 1968, at the Discussion Meeting on the results of the Royal Society Expedition to the Solomon Islands, held in this room, Professor Corner in his introductory paper (1969) mentioned biogeographical relationships of the Solomons flora and fauna to those of adjacent island groups, and said, ‘We shall realize that we ought to explore the New Hebrides’. The Expedition we come here today to discuss grew out of Professor Corner’s suggestion, and came to fruition very largely by his efforts. At Corner’s instigation the Southern Zone Research Committee of the Royal Society approved and supervised the planning of the Expedition. Financial support came from the Royal Society, the Percy Sladen Trust, Overseas Development Administration, Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, the Bentham-Moxom Trust, Royal Society of New Zealand, Paris Museum of Natural History, and O.R.S.T.O.M . and support for individual members from their employers. To all of these, to British, French and Condominium government servants and many other European and Melanesian New Hebrideans, and to our wives and families who stayed at home, we owe our thanks for the opportunity to explore those far away and beautiful islands. We thank the Royal Society also for its generosity in bringing us together to discuss and report on the results of our research, and I should like to add my personal thanks to the Society for entrusting to me the leadership of the Expedition.

Host-Range, Distribution, and Bibliography of the Reniform Nematode, Rotylenchulus reniformis, with Special Reference to Puerto Rico

The reniform nematode which comprises five described and several undescribed species has been recognized as a dangerous plant parasite. It is undoubtedly one of the most common nematode types in our soils and its populations are usually very high. It has been found associated with most of our agricultural crops including pineapple, coffee, pigeonpea, tobacco, sugarcane, ornamentals, and vegetables. Increasing interest in the study of this parasite has suggested the existence of several other species which still remain undescribed. In Puerto Rico, it is now evident that several species are present. This statement is based on differences observed in relation to morphological and pathogenic characteristics among different populations. A list of 201 different host plants from 15 countries, including Puerto Rico and Caja de Muertos, an adjacent Island south of Puerto Rico, is given. Most of them are the result of field observations, but in many cases the susceptibility of the host has been corroborated on greenhouse inoculation trials. Eighty-nine host plants were found in Puerto Rico, 15 of which are new hosts to Rotylenchulus spp., and 74 to R. reniformis. Differences in degrees of susceptibility have been recognized, pigeonpea being the most susceptible, and ornamental crotalaria only a carrier. In Puerto Rico, the nematode has been located in 40 localities in some of which several plants have been found to be hosts. Humidity, elevation, temperature, and soil pH do not seem to be limiting factors in relation to the occurrence and distribution of the nematode. It occurs more in loamic soils but clay or sandy soils with little organic matter harbor large numbers if a suitable host plant is present. A general list of publications regarding this nematode citing 89 papers is also included.