Z-D. 



THE ZOOLOGIST. 



THIRD SERIES 



Vol. VII.] JUNE, 1883. [No. 78. 



NATURAL HISTORY AT THE INTERNATIONAL 

 FISHERIES EXHIBITION.* 



By Francis Day, F.L.S. 



When investigating fisheries, their present uses and the benefits 

 which might be derived from them, the inquirer soon becomes 

 conscious of the necessity of studying many branches of " natural 

 history," both in the vegetable and animal kingdoms, without a 

 competent knowledge of which his labours will often be thrown 

 away, or the results of his researches useless, if not positively 

 misleading. 



Fisheries are variously regarded by different classes ; thus the 

 fisherman chiefly concerns himself as to what he can obtain from 

 them at the present time, regardless of suitable provisions for the 

 next year's supply. The public mainly interest themselves in the 

 cost of the fish as disposed of for food ; while the scientific econo- 

 mist bases his conclusions respecting the value of fisheries in 

 accordance with their produce, and should the supply be unequal 

 to the demand he mostly advocates increased killing powers by 

 the employment of more destructive agencies, erroneously be- 

 lieving that the stock in the sea is inexhaustible. 



The naturalist and fish culturist ought to approach the 

 question from an entirely different point of view ; he should 

 ascertain the life -history of all forms of fishes, not merely such 

 as serve for human food, but also of those which form the 



* From ' The Official Catalogue,' issued 12th. May, 1883. 



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