148 director's report. 



distribution of the floating fauna at different seasons of the year. The 

 route taken was (1) from Plymouth to Ushant, with stations in mid- 

 Channel (50 fathoms), and off Ushant (60 fathoms) ; (2) from Ushant 

 in a westerly direction towards the 100-fathom line, with a station 

 near Parson's Bank (75 fathoms) ; (3) from Parson's Bank northwards 

 towards Mount's Bay, with a station in 50 fathoms ; (4) from Mount's 

 Bay to Plymouth. This course was run in February, May, the first 

 week of September, and in November, 1899, and again in February, 1900. 

 Temperature observations were taken at each station at different depths, 

 and collections of the floating organisms were made with nets of various 

 kinds. In connection with this work a net was designed which could 

 be opened and again closed at any required depth, so that what 

 organisms were present in a stratum of water at a particular level 

 could be ascertained. This net, which worked with great effect and 

 precision, will be subsequently described in detail in the Journal, 

 together with the results of the observations made during the ex- 

 peditions. The expenses of boat-hire in connection with this research 

 were met by a grant made for the purpose by the British Association. 



]\Ir. Garstang has continued his observations on the races and 

 migrations of the mackerel, and the examination of the surface-drift 

 in the Channel by means of floating bottles has also proceeded. 



An account of his experiments on the rearing of sea fishes from the 

 larval to the adult form, carried out at the Laboratory last summer, will 

 be found on page 70 of the present number of the Journal. The 

 periodic examination of the fish population in the estuariue waters of 

 the Hamoaze, commenced some years ago by Mr. Holt, has been con- 

 tinued during the last two years, the fishing operations having been 

 kindly undertaken by Mr. Gover, of Saltash. 



Through the kindness of Mr. J. W. Woodall, I was enabled, with 

 Messrs. E. T. Browne and W. I. Beaumont, who were working at the 

 Laboratory, in July of last year, to have a week's useful collecting 

 work at Scilly. In addition to personally assisting us in the work, 

 Mr. Woodall placed his steam yacht Vallota at our disposal for 

 tow-netting, as well as for moving about amongst the different islands 

 and seeking suitable localities for shore work. The same gentleman 

 has since purchased the hull of a sailing yacht, the Dawn, which is 

 being fitted as a small floating Laboratory, and has been placed at our 

 service for the purpose of examining the fauna of the different harbours 

 in the neighbourhood. We propose to take her, during the early part 

 of the present summer, to Salcombe, a place which possesses great 

 interest from the fact that it was the collecting ground of Colonel 

 Montagu in the early part of the century, and many British species 

 were first described from specimens obtained there. 



