[ 92 ] 



Director's Report. 



As announced in the Report of the Council for 1896-97 (p. 100), 

 important changes have taken place in the staff of naturalists working 

 for the Association. Mr. Garstang, who now has charge of the fishery 

 investigations, commenced his new duties in June ; and Mr. E. W. L. 

 Holt, who has placed his services, for the time being, at the disposal 

 of the Association, has been occupied with researches on food fishes 

 since March last. It is much to be desired that the staff should be 

 maintained at at least its present strength, but unfortunately the 

 conditions of Mr. Holt's appointment, which is purely honorary, 

 preclude the possibility of our hoping that this may be the case, unless 

 funds can be provided to give him a position of a more permanent 

 character. It will be remembered that it was only through private 

 generosity that the Association was able for a number of years to 

 retain the services of two naturalists for fishery investigations, and 

 although we have the good fortune for the present to maintain this 

 condition of things, the possibility of the reduction of the number 

 is a prospect which cannot but be regarded as most serious for the 

 future welfare of the Association. It would be exceedingly un- 

 fortunate if from the want of funds to remunerate his services the 

 really valuable work which Mr. Holt is now doing for the Association 

 were to be stopped. 



In connection with the investigation into the natural history of 

 the mackerel visiting the Irish coasts, which has been undertaken 

 by the Association at the instance of H.M. Treasury, a report has been 

 prepared on the present state of our knowledge with regard to the 

 habits and migrations of this fish. This report has been forwarded 

 to H.M. Inspectors of Irish Fisheries, and is published in full in 

 the present number of this Journal. In order to further elucidate 

 the subject, Mr. Garstang has been devoting his attention to the 

 general question of the movements of the migratory fishes, in con- 

 nection both with the periodic movements of the floating organisms 

 upon which these fishes, directly or indirectly, depend for their food 

 supply, and also with the changes in the physical conditions of the 

 sea, especially with regard to density and temperature. Much striking 



