1132 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



expense of the Government, for scientific investigation , 

 and to the propagation of the life of fishes. This was a 

 most important suggestion, which he hoped would be 

 brought before the Government, with all the influence and 

 authority which these great names would undoubtedly 

 carry with them. How far it was likely to be accepted he 

 could not say, not being a member of the Government : 

 but he should be very glad to give any help he could in 

 the matter. He understood that the establishment at 

 Naples, which had produced very valuable results, was set 

 up, not by the Neapolitan or Italian Government, but by 

 several Governments in Europe combining. He did not 

 know why they should have fixed on the Mediterranean for 

 such a purpose, because the fauna of the Mediterranean 

 was essentially different from the fauna of the Atlantic and 

 the Northern seas, and observations made there, although 

 they might be of use for the Mediterranean, were not 

 likely to be of such practical value as observations made on 

 the fishes of our own shores. He believed to some extent 

 the establishment at Naples paid its own way, because 

 tables were hired out to various scientific persons, who 

 came from all parts of Europe, and hired a table and tank 

 for the investigation of particular phenomena. It was quite 

 possible that such an establishment might be set up in this 

 country, and that after all the ultimate cost to the Govern- 

 ment might not be very large. 



The document referred to by the Duke of Argyll is as 

 follows : 



" PROPOSAL FOR THE FOUNDATION OF AN OBSERVATORY 



ON THE BRITISH COAST, FOR THE STUDY OF MARINE 



ANIMALS AND PLANTS IN RELATION TO FISH AND 



FISHERIES. 



" The value to the FISH INDUSTRY of an increased 



