COMMITTEE B — FEBRUARY 1906 { 20 ) 3 
any modifications of the forms which might seem desirable, and to state whether 
they would be able to forward the results of any experiments on this point for 
inclusion in the report of the Committee. It was desirable that experiments should 
be carried out on boats of a commercial type, and upon sailing trawlers as well 
as upon steamers. The ‘“Goldseeker” and the “Huxley” were typical steam 
trawlers, and, so far as English sailing trawlers were concerned, he expected to 
be able to carry out some experiments upon them during the current year. 
Mr. Hour stated that he would be able to communicate the results of some 
experiments upon the catches of a large beamtrawl in Irish waters. 
Prof. Hencxe said that all the German sailing trawlers were provided with 
wells, and, as the object of the fishery was to catch and sell the fish alive, there 
was no need to carry out special experiments upon the vitality of the plaice 
caught by the German sailing trawlers. 
Dr. Repexe made the same remark with regard to the greater number of 
the Dutch sailing trawlers. 
Prof. Henxine said that investigations on German steam trawlers and sailing 
trawlers were under consideration. 
Dr. Masterman stated that the English Board of Agriculture and Fisheries 
had made arrangements with surgeons of the Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen to 
carry out investigations under commercial conditions on the steam trawlers 
accompanying the large trawling fleets, and that these would probably iuclude 
experiments on the vitality of small trawl-caught fish. 
Under Head 2 of the Agenda (Age-groups of Plaice), the Convener 
stated that it was most important that the Committee’s Report should contain 
charts showing the distribution of the various age-groups of Plaice. The “Huxley’’s 
material consisted up to the present of the otoliths of about 9,000 plaice, represen- 
tative of various grounds in the western and southern parts of the North Sea and 
in the English Channel. This material had been investigated by Dr. Wazrace at 
Lowestoft, and a preliminary summary of his results on the relation of size to age 
was in course of preparation for publication at an early date. He invited the 
members of the Committee to state the progress they had been able to make in 
this branch of the work, and to indicate a date when they would be able to 
forward an advance copy of theirs results to the Convener. 
Dr. Hsort said that they had collected and examined a considerable number 
