148 NATURAL SCIENCE [September 
iniferal limestone, above which coral reefs occur. The whole island 
is thickly covered with forest and jungle, and locomotion is very 
difficult or even, in places, impossible. The soil is very rich and 
full of phosphate of lime, beds of which occur on the tops of some 
of the hills. There are only a few indigenous species of birds and 
mammals, but these occur in great numbers, rats, particularly, being 
very unpleasantly numerous. 
On the coast immense numbers of frigate birds, tropic birds, 
* and gannets nest in the tall trees. The first named are perhaps 
the most numerous, and form the chief food-supply of the island. 
There was an excellent opportunity of observing the remarkable 
breeding habits of these birds. There are several species of land 
crabs, including the large Birgus latro, which is very numerous over 
the whole island. These crabs, like the rats, are excellent climbers, 
and go high up the trees in search of food, and both are a great 
nuisance to any one camping in the bush. Mr Andrew Ross has 
lived on the island for some years, and has planted cocoa-nut, 
bananas, papaias, and other useful plants, and the supply of food is 
now abundant. Since the climate is very healthy and not too hot, 
there are many worse places of residence than Christmas Island. 
NOTES ON SEA-FISHERIES 
THE Leport for 1897 of the Lancashire Sea-Fisheries Laboratory 
gives every promise of valuable results being obtained in fishery 
investigations. As pointed out by Professor Herdman, the founding 
of a laboratory at Piel should enable certain problems, such as those 
connected with the feeding, breeding and life-history of shellfish, to 
be taken in hand at once, besides giving opportunities for artificial 
cultivation, should such be deemed desirable. As regards work 
upon the food-fishes themselves, the pioneer work has been accom- 
plished elsewhere, and such institutions as that at Piel, beginning 
where others have left off, should be able to make rapid progress. 
For example, if the investigations at Piel could be definitely directed 
to the carrying out of a “scientific experiment which,” to quote 
Professor Herdman, ‘“‘ would gauge the extent of the results of arti- 
ficial hatching in a given area,” they would justify any reasonable 
expense involved. This investigation might perhaps be carried out 
in a simpler manner than that suggested by Professor Herdman. 
Two circumscribed sea-areas, of which the average fish population is 
to be determined, and ten or more years for experiments are almost 
unattainable conditions. It is a question how far the importation 
and cultivation of varieties from another district, the local presence 
of which at later stages could be readily determined, would solve 
the difficulty. At least this would be an experiment worthy of 
adoption. 
