13 
is now working from Dublin as a centre in the Western 
part of our own area. If this could be supplemented by a 
Lancashire steamer devoted wholly to statistical and scien- 
tifie work, the two working on a common programme, there 
would be a fair prospect that this the most definitely cir- 
cumscribed of the Rritish seas * would be adequately in- 
vestigated. It is only now a question of expense. Sufficient 
preliminary investigations have been made, we know exactly 
what we want to do, and the Irish steamer is now at work. 
All that is required is an additional steamer for scientific 
work in the Lancashire District and funds to carry out 
the scientific programme. In previous reports I have 
shown the suitability of the Irish Sea for such work, and 
I am interested to see that Dr. Johan Hjort, in a recent 
publicationt expresses a somewhat similar opinion in 
regard to some of the local sea-areas on the Norwegian 
Coast as compared with the North Sea. He says :—‘‘ We 
consider that the conditions affecting those small localities 
on our Coast are exceptionally synoptic, and far easier to 
orasp than those of the exceptionally complicated and vast 
territory of the North Sea, in which the Plaice lives.” 
Finally, | should, perhaps, explain here (1) that my 
approaching departure for Ceylon, to carry out an 
investigation on the Pear] Oyster fishery for the Govern- 
ment, has necessitated the issue of the present report a 
few weeks earlier than usual, and (2) that although all the 
manuscript and the first proofs have passed through my 
hands, I have had to leave Mr. Johnstone to read the 
pages for the press. 
W. A. Herpman. 
University CoLLeGe, LIvERPOOL. 
December, 1901. 
* The Irish Sea contains about 10,000 square miles, and is about one- 
twentieth part of the size of the North Sea. 
+Report on Norwegian Fishery and Marine Investigations, Vol. 1., 
p. 152; Kristiania, 1900. 
