62 



I cannot do better than conclude this section by quoting 

 a couple of sentences from a letter received during the 

 year from Professor M'Intosh, whom we regard as the 

 pioneer of scientific fisheries work in this country. In 

 speaking of marine hatcheries, he says: — "Of course such 

 institutions are strictly experimental, and it may be some 

 time before a decisive result is evident. Meanwhile, work 

 them thoroughly and support them liberally." I desire to 

 endorse that opinion. 



Oysters and Disease. 

 (W. A. Herdman.) 



In collaboration with my colleagues, Professor Boyce 

 (Bacteriologist) and Dr. C. Kohn (Chemist), 1 have been 

 working at this subject in our laboratories at University 

 College, Liverpool, for the last three years, and interim 

 reports upon the progress of the work have appeared in 

 our three last Fisheries Laboratory Reports. A detailed 

 paper, giving the full results of the investigation, has 

 lately been laid before the Eoyal Society of London, and 

 the main conclusions of that paper are as follows* : — 



"1. Although our primary object was to study the 

 Oyster under unhealthy conditions, in order to elucidate 

 its supposed connection with infective disease, we found 

 it necessary to study in minute detail the histology of 

 certain parts of the body, especially the gills and mantle 

 lobes, the alimentary canal and liver. We give figures 

 and descriptions of these structures in both normal and 

 abnormal conditions. 



" 2. We have also worked out the distribution and 

 probable function of a minute muscle, which we believe 



* Quoted from Nature for January 26th, 1899, p. 305. 



