director's report. 425 



of the disLiicL has been continued by myself and my assistant, Mr. 

 IJ. A. Todd. In this connection Mr. J. W, Woodall's tloating laboratory 

 DaiLUi was stationed during the summer at Exmouth, for the purpose 

 of enabling us to study the fauna of the Exe estuary. Before leaving 

 for Exmouth the vessel had been very much improved by Mr. Woodall 

 by the addition of a deckhouse, which forms an excellent laboratory. 

 A report upon the survey of the Exe estuary is contained in the 

 present numl^er of the Journal. Our thanks are again due to Mr. 

 Woodall for placing the Dawn at our disposal and paying the expenses 

 in connection with her up-keep at Exmouth. 



The study of the fauna in the immediate neighbourhood of Plymouth 

 has been continued, and as it proceeds detailed records of the work are 

 kept at the Laboratory. 



Mr. Garstang has been largely engaged during the year in working 

 out the results of the periodic cruises which he has made at the mouth 

 of the English Channel for the purpose of investigating the physical 

 and biological conditions prevailing at different seasons of the year. 

 This work, however, has been somewhat interfered with by the fact 

 tliat Mr. Garstang was appointed by the Government to act as one 

 of the British delegates to the International Conference for the Ex- 

 ploration of tlie Sea, which met at Christiania in May. Matters 

 connected with this Conference have occupied a great deal of time 

 and attention. 



Experiments upon the rearing of larval fishes were again undertaken 

 during the breeding season, and a substantial advance was made in the 

 methods employed. These experiments will be continued during the 

 coniiug season. 



In conjunction with the Devon Sea Eisheries Committee, trawling 

 experiments in the bays on the South Devon coast have been renewed. 

 These bays have been closed to trawlers for several years, and the 

 Committee are anxious that a thorough investigation should be made 

 of the distribution of the various species of fish throughout the year, of 

 their spawning grounds, of the distribution of immature fish, and of 

 such other matters as may tend to throw light upon the working 

 of their bye-laws. These investigations are being carried out by 

 Dr. Kyle, and the Oithona is used for the trawling work, hauls being 

 made every month at the different stations. 



Mr. J. Stuart Thomson has been occupied with an investigation of 

 the periodic growth of the scales of fishes as an indication of age. A 

 preliminary account of the results at which he has arrived is now 

 published (see p. 373). 



A word of explanation is necessary with reference to the somewhat 

 long interval since the issue of the last number of the Journal. It 



