15 
interest to many people in Liverpool and the neighbour- 
hood, but that it led to a more general diffusion of useful 
information as to the objects of our Sea-Fisheries Com- 
mittee and as to its methods of work. It is only in 
this way, and by courses of public lectures, that we can 
hope to secure a wider knowledge and appreciation of 
fisheries work, of the object of regulations, and the value 
of scientific investigation. The Catalogue of the Sea- 
Fisheries Exhibition, as arranged in Liverpool, is appended 
to this report. 
‘* PLANKTON ’”’ INVESTIGATION. 
One of the most important determining factors in the 
distribution and movements of fish is clearly their food. 
In past reports we have given a considerable amount of 
information of the same kind as has been given elsewhere 
by other fishery investigators, as to the more or less fixed 
food derived from the sea bottom in the case of most of 
our common edible fishes. We are now making a more 
systematic study than has yet been done in this district 
of the floating and drifting fish food found in the surface 
and deeper layers of water throughout the sea, and which 
is coming to be called ‘“‘plankton.’’ Much of the plankton 
consists of microscopic plants and animals which are, 
throughout their life, in a free condition. But another 
important constituent is the enormous quantity of eggs, 
embryos, and larval stages of many animals which, in 
the adult condition, are to be found on the sea bottom. 
These young stages are most of them only to be found at 
certain times of the year, and consequently the plankton 
differs considerably, both in nature and amount, according 
to the season, and also, to some extent, according to the 
weather. As the plankton is liable to be moved about 
from place to place by tidal and other currents, by pre- 
