656 director's report. 



Prof. Otto Pettersson of Stockholm, Vice-President of the Central 

 Bureau of the International Investigations, and Dr. P. P. C. Hoek of 

 Copenhagen, General Secretary of the Central Bureau, have visited 

 the Laboratories at Plymouth and Lowestoft in order to make them- 

 selves acquainted with the details of the work being carried on in 

 connection with the investigations. They expressed their satisfaction 

 with the arrangements that had been made at both stations, and with 

 the progress of the researches. 



The business of supplying specimens for scientific research, for teach- 

 ing purposes, and for museums continues to grow. Unfortunately the 

 expense involved in procuring constant supplies of fresh material will 

 in all probability never allow of this branch of our work becoming 

 entirely self-supporting, but the service rendered would seem to be of 

 such value that it would be a distinct misfortune if it were allowed 

 to cease. 



As regards the fishery work of the Association, the policy adopted 

 by the Council has been to throw all its energies, for the time being, 

 into the prosecution of the International investigations, so that as far 

 as the responsibility rests with them they may ensure the success of 

 that important undertaking, and English fishery science may take its 

 proper place as compared with that of the other countries of Europe. 



The new members of the staff' now employed by the Council in 

 connection with these investigations have entered upon their duties 

 with energy and enthusiasm, and share with the old a determination 

 that the work produced shall be of such a character that even those 

 who in the past have felt it their duty to offer criticism of the scheme 

 shall be compelled to recognise its value and the possibilities it offers 

 of producing results which will be both scientific and practical. 



The reports on these International investigations will appear partly 

 in the Bulletin of the Central Bureau, and partly in a separate 

 publication. 



E. J. Allen, 



Director. 



Plymouth, 



December Itit, 1903. 



