REPORT ON THE DEPOSITS FROM THE LIVERPOOL 
‘“ Hoprers”’ IN RELATION TO SHRIMPS AND YounG FIsH. 
By W. A. Herpmay. 
Early in the year the General Purposes Committee 
asked for a report on the eftect produced upon the move- 
ments of shrimps and young fishes by the materials carried 
out to sea from Liverpool in the hopper barges and 
deposited near the Burbo Bank. It had, I believe, been 
suggested (1) that the shrimps were attracted to this 
particular ground—where young fishes are also found in 
great abundance—to feed upon the refuse in the deposits ; 
and (2) that if the attractive material were deposited on 
some other neighbouring ground not frequented by small 
fish the shrimps would follow, thus leading to such a 
separation of shrimps from young fish on the bottom as 
would admit of shrimping being carried on freely without 
causing any destruction of young fish. It would certainly 
be very convenient if it were so, but a careful examination 
of the facts shows that there is no real foundation for the 
ingenious suggestion. 
Mr. Dawson, after discussing the matter with me, 
caused the necessary samples and specimens to be 
obtained from chosen localities in the area in question, 
and these were sent to the laboratory where Mr. Johnstone 
and I carefully examined them, and drew up the follow- 
ing report for the Committee : — 
“Report by Dr. Herdman on Deposits, Shrimps, 
and Young Fish. 
* A number of samples have been obtained during the 
last two weeks by Mr. G. Eccles, and were brought by him 
to the Laboratory for examination. 
