148 NATURAL SCIENCE [September 



iniferal limestone, above which coral reefs occur. The whole island 

 is thickly covered with forest and jungle, and locomotion is very 

 difficult or even, in places, impossible. The soil is very rich and 

 full of phosphate of lime, beds of which occur on the tops of some 

 of the hills. There are only a few indigenous species of birds and 

 mammals, but these occur in great numbers, rats, particularly, being 

 very unpleasantly numerous. 



On the coast immense numbers of frigate birds, tropic birds, 

 and gannets nest in the tall trees. The first named are perhaps 

 the most numerous, and form the chief food-supply of the island. 

 There was an excellent opportunity of observing the remarkable 

 breeding habits of these birds. There are several species of land 

 crabs, including the large Birgus latro, which is very numerous over 

 the whole island. These crabs, like the rats, are excellent climbers, 

 and go high up the trees in search of food, and both are a great 

 nuisance to any one camping in the bush. Mr Andrew Eoss has 

 lived on the island for some years, and has planted cocoa-nut, 

 bananas, papaias, and other useful plants, and the supply of food is 

 now abundant. Since the climate is very healthy and not too hot, 

 there are many worse places of residence than Christmas Island. 



Notes on Sea-Fisheries 



The Report for 1897 of the Lancashire Sea- Fisheries Laboratory 

 gives every promise of valuable results being obtained in fishery 

 investigations. As pointed out by Professor Fferdman, the founding 

 of a laboratory at Piel should enable certain problems, such as those 

 connected with the feeding, breeding and life-history of shellfish, to 

 be taken in hand at once, besides giving opportunities for artificial 

 cultivation, should such be deemed desirable. As regards work 

 upon the food-fishes themselves, the pioneer work has been accom- 

 plished elsewhere, and such institutions as that at Piel, beginning 

 where others have left off, should be able to make rapid progress. 

 For example, if the investigations at Piel could be definitely directed 

 to the carrying out of a " scientific experiment which," to quote 

 Professor Herdman, " would gauge the extent of the results of arti- 

 ficial hatching in a given area," they would justify any reasonable 

 expense involved. This investigation might perhaps be carried out 

 in a simpler manner than that suggested by Professor Herdman. 

 Two circumscribed sea-areas, of which the average fish population is 

 to be determined, and ten or more years for experiments are almost 

 unattainable conditions. It is a question how far the importation 

 and cultivation of varieties from another district, the local presence 

 of which at later stages could be readily determined, would solve 

 the difficulty. At least this would be an experiment worthy of 

 adoption. 



