NOTICE. 



ANY tardiness in the issue of this Report is to be attributed to the 

 Author not to the Committee. 



Originally the idea contemplated was to confine remarks to a short notice 

 of a few of the more prominent features of Leigh fisheries. Subsequent 

 inquiry among the fishermen not only revealed diversity of opinion as to facts, 

 but also that the Thames Estuary (taking this in its broadest sense) struck a 

 key note to both Kent and Essex Sea-fisheries generally. 



This gave rise to independent researches, involving time, trouble and 

 opportunity ; hence extension of the Report from its first conception neces- 

 sitated delay. 



As now divided into two parts (not at first intended), one contains subjects 

 historical and biological, the other matters of a practical nature. The bio- 

 logical data being lengthy, hence, to balance the text, it has been decided to 

 carry a portion of it over to Part II., which will be published before long. 

 J.M. 



