138 



Station XVI I. Blackpool Close d 

 Ground. 



Thirty-one plaice were liberated on this station in 

 •iuly last, and five have been returned. With the 

 exception of one fish (which went offshore) all these were 

 recaught on the inshore waters North and South of the 

 station. 



The fish liberated on tlie three last stations were not 

 all in a perfectly sound state. They were caught in the 

 vicinities of the three stations and kept on board in the 

 tanks for a short time onlj' . When we caught them the 

 surface of the sea, and the waters for some depths down, 

 weie swarming with the jelly-fish Avrelia — so much so 

 that the sea was literally carpeted in places with these 

 creatures. When the net was hauled an enormous 

 quantity were always included among the catch, and the 

 fish caught were always very sickl3^ Even when great 

 masses of seaweed or mud were taken, the fish caught 

 never exhibited the same lack of vitality as was shown in 

 these catches, and the result is probably due to the contact 

 of the fishes with the poisonous stinging cells of the jelly- 

 fishes. I think it quite probable that a large number of 

 these fishes died some time after liberation. 



Stations XVIII. to X X. — N e v i n and 



Aberystwyth, Carnarvon and 

 Cardigan Bays. 

 Thirty-oue fish were liberated on these three stations, 

 but none has been returned so far. Five of the fish 

 marked were small rays, but the rest were plaice and in 

 good condition when liberated. These poor results are 

 due, I consider, to the fact that the amount of fishing ou 



