148 kepokt — 1878. 



of the Commissioners, being nearly 700,000,000, or much less than one- 

 third, fewer. 



"IV. That in all the evidence received and published by the Commis- 

 sioners only two witnesses allege that any harm has resulted to the fisheries 

 from the Sea-Birds Protection Act. Of these, the first, Robert M'Connell, 

 presented a petition from the fishermen of Girvan, in which it is stated 

 (p. 145) that ' no legislation is called for or required ; ' while another 

 witness from the same place, John Melville (a fishery officer), declares (at 

 p. 146) that ' the fishery has very much increased this last year. Recent 

 years have also shown a gradual increase. The increase is partly due to 

 the increased machinery, and partly to the increase in the number of 

 herrings.' 



" The second witness unfavourable to the Act, John M'William (an In- 

 spector of Poor), speaks (pp. 147-49) only from personal knowledge 

 acquired between 1833 and 1853, when he ceased to be a fisherman, and 

 not from any recent experience. He can therefore scarcely be held com- 

 petent to give an opinion of his own as to whether the Sea-Birds Pro- 

 tection Act (passed in 1869) has injured the fisheries. Another witness 

 recommends the repeal of this Act ; but he, Hugh MacLachlan, expressly 

 states (p. 143) that he ' thinks the cause of the decrease [in the number 

 of herrings taken] is the catching immature fish ; ' and the remedy ho 

 proposes is the adoption of a strict close time. 



" V. That, on the other hand, the utility of sea-birds in pointing out 

 the situation of shoals of herrings and other fish is not only generally 

 notorious, but is even admitted in the Report (pp. 57 and 175). 



"VI. That if the Sea-Birds Act be repealed on the grounds alleged for 

 Scotland, its repeal for England and Ireland must logically follow ; and 

 this Committee trusts that no steps may be taken to repeal the Act for 

 Scotland. 



" I am, Sir, 



" Yours obediently, 



" H. E. Dresser, 



"Sec. to the Brit. Assoc. Close Time Committee." 



To this letter the following reply has been received : — 



Whitehall, July 12, 1878. 



" Sir, — I am directed by the Secretary of State to acknowledge the 

 receipt of your letter of the 6th inst., submitting observations on behalf 

 of the Committee of the British Association for the Advancement of Science 

 on the Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the herring 

 fisheries of Scotland, dated the 1st March last. 



"lam, Sir, 



" Tour obedient servant. 

 (Signed) " Godfrey Lushington. 



"H. E. Dresser, Esq., 



6 Tenterden Street, Hanover Square, W." 



Tour Committee conceives that the points at issue between it and the 

 Scottish Herring Fishery Commissioners are thus fairly stated, and is 

 confident that all unbiassed persons will admit that those Commissioners 

 have over-stated their case. Your Committee would further remark that, 



