PeOtbnOho fr hE rACE. 
“Or the making of many books there is no end.” It is 
customary, and in many cases very advisable, that anyone 
who rushes into print should give the public his reasons for 
so doing. In my case I do so. Firstly, because a strong 
wish has been expressed that I should publish the lecture I 
gave under the auspices of the Bolton Corporation at the 
Chadwick Museum, and I promised to do so, but it seemed 
to me it would be well, even while retaining the lecture 
form, to add from my many notes a considerable number of 
facts suppressed during the lecture, owing to want of time, 
which I think go far to prove my contentions. I was 
further induced to do this by the newspaper reports, in 
which the lecture was cut down to suit space. Proofs were 
eliminated, and merely the assertions printed. Secondly, 
because during the time I conducted the Southport Aqua- 
rium I had opportunities which are not likely soon to occur 
again of making many interesting experiments. Those 
relating to fish culture are, I venture to think, of some 
importance. They are at present recorded in all sorts of 
places—Blue Books, Land and Water, local papers, &c., and 
