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Director's Report. 



The issue of the present number of the Journal, which commences 

 Volume IV. of the New Series, has been delayed in consequence of the 

 publication of the Special Number containing ]\Ir. Holt's memoir on 

 " An Examination of the I'resent State of the Grimsby Trawl Fishery, 

 with especial reference to the Destruction of Immature Fish," which 

 was issued to members in June. I am glad to be able to state that this 

 special number has met with a most favourable reception. It is 

 recognised on all hands that Mr. Holt's memoir constitutes the most 

 serious and successful attempt which has been made for some time 

 past, to place before the general public an accurate and scientific 

 account of the facts relating to one of our most important in- 

 dustries. 



As the reports now published show, Mr. Cunningham has continued 

 to carry forward the investigation of the North Sea fishing grounds, and 

 his observations form an important contribution to our knowledge of 

 the subject. 



During the time which has elapsed since the appearance of the last 

 regular number of the Journal, the work of the Association at Plymouth 

 has suffered somewhat from the difficulty experienced in obtaining the 

 services of a suitable naturalist to carry on the fishery investigations, 

 which it had been hoped that Mr. Holt would have been able to under- 

 take. The difficulty is, I am glad to say, no longer present, Mr. F. B. 

 Stead, B.A, of King's College, Cambridge, having been appointed by 

 the Council to carry on this branch of our work. An addition to the 

 regular stall" has also been made by the appointment of Mr. T. V. 

 Hodgson to the post of Director's Assistant. A. J. Smith, from the 

 Cambridge Morphological Laboratory, has held the position of 

 Laboratory attendant since the beginning of April, and in a large 

 measure has charge of the preservation of specimens for sale. It is 

 hoped that by improving the quality of the specimens sent out by the 

 Association, the demand for them will become greater and our useful- 

 ness in this direction extended. 



Considerable expense has been incurred in overhauling the engines 

 and pumps, and putting them into a state of proper working order 



