10 



systematically, and form a regular part of the work of the 

 New Fisheries Steamer (for detailed plan see below, 

 Appendix A.). 



Food of Fishes. 



In connection with all this the importance is obvious 

 of determining in our own district the usual food of all of 

 our valuable fishes, and even of other fishes which are not 

 marketable but which are associated with the food-fishes 

 on the same ground and may compete with them for 

 sustenance. We cannot merely take the results obtained 

 in other countries, as the marine fauna differs in different 

 localities. Nor can we draw conclusions from a few cases. 

 We do not wish to know what some individual fish had 

 for a particular meal, but what that kind of fish is in the 

 habit of eating, i.e., what are the most important constitu- 

 ents of its food without which it could not get on. 



In the Fisheries Laboratory, during the eight months from 

 May to December we have examined the stomachs of 

 3266 animals of which 2087 were fishes, the rest being 

 Shrimps, Cockles, &c, which will be dealt with separately. 

 The circumstances of each case are fully recorded upon a 

 printed form, the particulars noted being : — the species of 

 fish, the date, the locality, &c, of capture, the size, sex, 

 condition of reproductive organs, any other note-worthy 

 point, such as parasites, &c, and the contents of the 

 stomach. These forms are all filed for reference, but I 

 shall only give here a digest of them showing the food of 

 each kind of fish examined for each month in different 

 localities, so far as our statistics give that information. 

 The range in size of the fish in each case is also given. 

 In those cases where the food was partially digested and it 

 was only possible to say that it had once been part of an 

 animal "An. tiss.," for animal tissues, is put. 



