268 WAITE 
There may shortly be afforded an opportunity of witnessing 
the application of modern methods employed in collecting 
marine organisms and of collating the data obtained; the 
‘Terra Nova,’’ which left our shores a few months ago for the 
purpose of taking Captain Scott and his party to the shores 
of Antarctica, is shortly expected to return. 
It has been proposed that before again going south, a cruise 
shall be conducted off the continental shelf of New Zealand 
for biological research purposes, and it is to be hoped that the 
project will receive the support of the Government. 
In connection with the subject of sea fisheries, it may not be 
out of place to refer a little more fully to the Portobello Marine 
Fish Hatchery, the only one of its kind in New Zealand, which, 
though somewhat inadequately supported, has proved the medium 
by which it has been possible to publish some very valuable 
observations indeed. A general account of the hatchery has been 
supplied by Mr. George M. Thomson, F.L.S., M.P.°? together 
with a preliminary notice of the development of some of the 
marine fishes; the work has been continued by Mr. Thomas 
Anderton,®° Curator of the hatchery, who has issued a very ¢care- 
fully prepared article on the ova and larve of several important 
food fishes and crustaceans. As previously mentioned, my thanks 
are due to Mr. Anderton for assisting me with information gained 
in the hatchery or for specimens which his experience as Curator 
of the station enabled him to furnish. 
Information of the nature supplied by Messrs. Thomson and 
Anderton is particularly valuable, and will enable workers to 
identify the eggs of fishes which may be found floating at the 
surface or drawn from the bottom by means of the dredge; it is 
by such auxiliary means that the breeding places and periods of 
the fishes may be ascertained, while, of course the data obtained 
as to the period of hatching and subsequent development is 
invaluable; unfortunately the hatchery is not sufficiently exten- 
sive at present to allow of post larval observations being made 
for any lengthy period, a matter which is deserving of the best 
consideration of the Government. 
I have previously expressed my thanks to Mr. L. F. Ayson, 
Chief Inspector of Fisheries, and the several gentlemen who have 
so kindly examined the collections, it remains for me to render my 
grateful acknowledgment to the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for 
Marine, for his courtesy in permitting me to accompany the 
expedition, and further, for placing funds at the disposal of my 
Board, for the publication of the results in the ‘‘ Records of the 
Canterbury Museum.’’ I also desire to acknowledge my 
appreciation of the kind manner in which the official negotiations 
have been conducted by Mr. George Allport, Secretary to the 
Marine Department. 
~ (59) Thomson, T.N.Z.1. xxxviii. 1906, p. 529 pl. lv.-lix. 
(60) Anderton ib. xxxix. 1907, p. 477, pl. xvii.-xx. 
