210 director's report. 



the heavy cost of keeping up a steamer of the size required, it was 

 thought advisable to purchase a sailing trawler, in which trips of 

 many days' duration could be made. There are many localities of 

 great interest which should be visited, but which are impossible to 

 reach unless by employing the expensive method of hiring a special 

 vessel; and for carrying on our fishery investigations some large boat, 

 capable of going where any other fishing-boat can go, is of inestim- 

 able importance. I have made many inquiries, and have looked at 

 several boats, but, so far, have not found a vessel suitable both in 

 condition and in price. 



Mr. Garstang, formerly Assistant to the Director, who left Ply- 

 mouth to take up a research Fellowship at the Owens College, 

 Manchester, has again been offered an appointment on the Staff. 

 He has accepted, and his appointment will date from May. His 

 duties will consist chiefly in superintending the collection, preserva- 

 tion, and identification of specimens. 



The demand for specimens for use in laboratories and museums 

 throughout the country increases, and requires constant attention. 

 We can supply specimens which, in very many cases, could not other- 

 wise be obtained. The proper preservation of certain classes of 

 soft animals is in itself an art developed during the last fifteen 

 years, almost entii-ely by the persevering efforts of Sig. Lo Bianco, 

 of Naples. Within the past year these methods have been pub- 

 lished, and with practice it is hoped that the specimens sent out 

 from the Plymouth Laboratory may gradually gain the character so 

 long possessed by the Naples specimens alone. 



At present all the preserving is done by the Laboratory Assistant, 

 Mr. Joseph Walker, and we venture to think that although our 

 results are not yet sufficiently fine to be quite satisfactory, a very 

 decided advance has been made. 



Quite recently a new price list of zoological specimens has been 

 issued. This is the second list, and from the experience gained by 

 the first, it has been found necessary to raise very many of the 

 prices. If, however, the quality of material produced is better, we 

 do not think that any of the prices will be found to be too high, 

 and it has been our aim to keep the prices of animals most commonly 

 used for teaching purposes, and therefore ordered in large quanti- 

 ties, as moderate as possible. 



During the last few months I have received communications from 

 several important centres on the east, west, and south coasts of 

 England, asking for information relating to the construction of sea- 

 fish hatcheries and marine laboratories. 



The idea that some practical benefit is to be derived from such 

 establishments seems to be gaining ground. In one or two locali- 



