334 A HISTORY OF 



own time that an attempt was made to deal with the 

 fisheries on scientific lines. 



At the opening meeting of the session, 1883-4, 

 the attention of the Council was called to the important 

 work being done in other countries at stations estab- 

 lished for the investigation of marine zoology, and the 

 beneficial effect of the knowledge thus acquired on the 

 fisheries of the country. A committee was appointed 

 to consider whether the Society could not usefully 

 employ itself in this direction. The committee, learn- 

 ing that the Rev. William Spotswood Green, of Carri- 

 galine, co. Cork, had made a special study of fishery 

 problems on the south-west coast of Ireland, asked 

 his advice. A report from him was submitted to 

 the Society on June the 2nd, 1887. Mr. Green was 

 asked to extend his enquiries, and he submitted a 

 second report, which was laid before the Society on 

 March the 1st, 1888. This report dealt with the 

 more important fish, and their relative abundance on 

 the south coast ; the local and distant markets, the 

 fluctuation of prices, with the question of transport ; 

 and suggestions were made as to the best means of 

 improving the industry. It was pointed out that there 

 is a large consumption of cured fish in Ireland, practi- 

 cally all of which comes from Norway, Scotland, and 

 Newfoundland. If proper steps were taken, avoiding 

 the errors of the past, this industry might be developed 

 in Ireland. Next year Mr. Green visited America, and 

 at the request of the committee he furnished a report 

 on American Fisheries, which was submitted to the 

 Society on March the 7th, 1889. 



In November 1889, a correspondence took place 

 with Mr. J. H. Tuke, of Bancroft, Hitchin, in which 

 he suggested that a complete survey of the fishing 

 grounds from the coast of Kerry to Donegal should 



