REVIEWS 503 



by the way, is Superintendent of the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries 

 District — has made ample use of his opportunities, and has produced a book 

 which is at once a help and inspiration to all who have the welfare of the 

 fisheries at heart. 



The book is divided into thirteen chapters, wdth appendices, bibliography, 

 an index, and numerous excellent illustrations. 



In the Introduction alternative suggestions for the control of the 

 fisheries are ably put, and there is a well-merited but tempered criticism 

 of the staffing of the existing Central Authority. 



It is to be hoped that the preamble on " Reconstruction " will be " read, 

 marked, and learned " by the Authorities concerned. 



From the chapter on " Statistical Methods " the immensity of the trade 

 in fish will be realised ; and to take one species only, the herring is distributed 

 all over the world, for fish was practically the only pre-war foodstuff exported 

 from the British Isles. 



Under " Methods of Fishing," the evolution of the trawl from the seine 

 net, and the gradual introduction of the steam trawler, are described at length. 



Chapter III describes the trawling grounds, drift-net fishing, methods 

 and value of herring fishing, and also that of the most important flat-fish 

 to the fish trade — the plaice. 



In the next chapter the plaice and sole, haddock and herring, are given 

 as types of their several zoological orders, and an interesting epitome of 

 their life-history is set out — the metamorphosis of the plaice being of profound 

 interest. 



The rise of the herring fisheries is next ably dealt with, and the historical 

 student will find much new and interesting material to ponder over. The 

 herring bounty system is detailed, and the fallacious arguments of Adam 

 Smith with regard to it are exposed. 



The development of steam trawling forms the title of another chapter, 

 and here again the author is at home in his subject. 



Legislation and the Sea Fisheries is described, and many Conventions, 

 national and international, are quoted and explained with clarity. 



The effect of legislation on the inshore fisheries, which are carried on 

 within the territorial limits by men who own their own boats, should be most 

 helpful to those concerned in drawing up By-laws for the control of same. 



In the section dealing with Public Fisheries for Shellfish, particulars of 

 the destructiveness of the shrimp trawl are given, though, be it said, it is 

 to the credit of the men that, where circumstances permit, they are really 

 anxious to save as many of the small fish, taken along with the shrimps, as 

 possible. The question of the long overdue extension of statutory protection 

 to the berried lobster is gone into at some length. An interesting illustration 

 of the damage done by the cockle's chief enemy is given in a full-page plate, 

 showing the crop and stomach contents of a " sea-gull," in this instance 

 taken from a herring gull {Lams argentaius). The plate shows numerous 

 whole and fragmentary specimens of cockles. After emphasising the value 

 of the shellfish fishery, the author goes on to detail the results of bacteriological 

 investigations, and many specific instances of polluted shellfish being the 

 direct cause of illness and even death are quoted. 



Under the heading " Education of Fishermen," the difficulties of over- 

 coming the conservatism of these " toilers of the sea " is enlarged upon ; 

 there is also an interesting description of the Continental Fishery Schools, 

 which latter might with great advantage be copied here. 



Then follows a chapter on " Scientific Research and the Sea Fisheries," 

 tracing the development of the work from the efforts of Prof. Sars, and 

 the results of the famous Challenger expedition. Modern methods of 

 biological and hydrographic research are outlined, and an interesting descrip- 

 tion of the metabolism of the sea is given. Investigations into the life-history 



