were in the same galley, and he sat at the helm, it was the 

 vigorous power of his friend, Professor Huxley, who not 

 only impelled the bark, but also directed it. That Com- 

 mission established one or two facts which certainly had 

 been of the greatest importance to our great fisheries, viz., 

 that restrictive laws framed by man in ignorance of the laws 

 of Nature, were excessively destructive to the interests of 

 fishermen instead of being favourable to them. When 

 they first began to examine this subject, they found 

 different laws prevailing on the east coast of Scotland to 

 those which prevailed on the west. On the east coast 

 there were no restrictive laws, and fishermen were en- 

 couraged to catch fish, even full fish containing ova, in 

 order to be cured. Each of these fish had on an aver- 

 age 50,000 eggs, and the enormous number that were 

 taken in this state would seem to indicate a process of 

 extermination ; but the fisheries of the east coast, without 

 restrictive laws, increased, and did not diminish. When 

 they went to the west coast of Scotland, however, in the 

 inner waters of the Firth of Clyde, they found restrictive 

 laws prevailing. For several months no herrings were 

 allowed to be taken, there being a close time for herrings 

 for the purpose of protecting them. As they went further 

 into the open waters at the Firth of Forth and Clyde along 

 the islands up to near the Highlands, those restrictive laws 

 still prevailed ; but there was a relaxation as to the period 

 when the close time should end. A very curious result 

 was made apparent, and a most unexpected one. At the 

 periods of close time, the herrings came to the banks to 

 spawn, and were followed by their natural enemies in great 

 number, among which he might chiefly allude to the cod 

 and the ling, which consumed them in great numbers. 

 There were innumerable fish which lived upon the young 



