6 



Cheshire) the shores are sandy, and the in-shore waters 

 are for the most part sandy and shallow, extensive sand 

 banks abounding especially off the estuaries of the Mersey, 

 the Dee, the Eibble, and in Morecambe Bay. Altogether 

 it may be estimated that there is an area of about 800 

 square miles lying off the coast over which the depth is 

 less than 10 fms., and an area beyond that of about 1000 

 square miles where the depth is from 10 to 20 fms. These 

 shallow sandy bays, and channels between the banks, are 

 probably of the very greatest importance as the feeding 

 grounds and nurseries of our most valuable food fishes in 

 their post-larval and immature stages ; and I would urge 

 that during the coming year an accurate survey should be 

 made of these areas and a determination of their physical 

 conditions and their fauna and flora. There are four impor- 

 tant estuaries in the district, that of the Kent and the Leven 

 conjoined at the northern end of Morecambe Bay, that of 

 the Eibble at Preston, the Mersey at Liverpool, and the 

 Dee between Cheshire and Wales at the southern end of 

 the district. Some parts of the shores of these estuaries 

 are already of value as cockle and mussel beds, but probably 

 a great deal more use could be made of them as suitable 

 grounds for edible Mollusca. Mussel culture should be 

 started, Oyster culture might be worth trying in the 

 estuary of the Dee, and Shrimp culture should be experi- 

 mented on in some sheltered spot where an enclosure 

 could be made of stakes and rough wattling. 



The "Fauna" of the District. 

 The marine fauna and flora of this district, which are 

 matters of the greatest importance in connection with the 

 feeding of fish and edible Mollusca, have been systemati- 

 cally investigated for some years back by the Liverpool 

 Marine Biology Committee. These investigations have 



