os) 
od hl 
already added so much to the knowledge of pelagic fishes, 
their life, habits, and the causes affecting their migra- 
tions, that, with the means now at his disposal, a con- 
siderable amount of valuable information will probably 
be gained which will prove of service to the fishing 
industry of all nations.” 
What Norway can do, surely the whole western sea- 
board of England, from Cumberland to South Wales, now 
united in one Sea-Fishery District, ought to be supplied 
with, or be able to afford. Surely we may hope to see in 
the immediate future a steamer, at least of the size and 
equipment of a modern steam trawler, devoted solely to 
that combination of scientific and economic oceano- 
graphic investigations in the Irish Sea of which every 
conference of Fisheries Authorities, Commissions and 
Select Committees of recent years has had to deplore the 
absence. 
In addition to the investigation of the bottom by 
dredging and trawling, the plankton in the surface and 
other waters of the sea would require periodic examina- 
tion. This matter has been discussed fully during 
the past summer, both at Port Erin and Liverpool, 
amongst our local naturalists, some of whom have had 
much experience of late years in plankton work. In 
order to get an adequate idea of the distribution of the 
minute floating organisms of our seas, we should certainly 
require to have weekly observations (or possibly even 
twice a week) taken, at both surface and bottom, at 
certain specified stations round the coast, of which we 
should recognise four as being necessary in the Irish Sea, 
and about 15 round the whole British Coast. The 
Lancashire Naturalists are willing to play their part in 
any such general scheme, but in the meantime we are 
going on with the work in our own district. Mr. Isaac 
