THE FISHERY BOARD FOR SCOTLAND 89 



Another suggestion was made by Dr Ballot 

 and given effect to, and numerous observations 

 were made with the intention of determining 

 what possible influence the temperature of the 

 sea and other meteorological conditions might 

 have on the abundance and migrations of the 

 herrings. Certain conclusions were drawn from 

 these observations, but the work was not con- 

 tinued later than 1878. 



All this work, however, was of a very desultory 

 nature, and was only done under the pressure of 

 the various agitations which arose from time to 

 time with regard to the alleged pernicious effects 

 of various methods of fishing. When these 

 agitations ceased, scientific work was again 

 abandoned. A very different spirit actuated 

 the Board when it was reconstituted in 1882, 

 and was made evident in the appointment of 

 a biologist Professor J. Cossar Ewart, to whom 

 the credit of the organisation of the scientific 

 work of the Scottish Fishery Board belongs 

 as a member. A statement was then published 

 in which the necessity of scientific observations 

 was made clear. The Board was constituted for 

 the purpose of superintending the fisheries and 

 for taking " such measures for their improve- 

 ment as the funds under their administration 

 may admit of," and it was soon discovered " that 

 without further information as to the habits and 

 life-history of the food-fishes it would be im- 



