282 UTIIJTARIAN ZOOLOGY 



the spawning of herrings at the request of the Scottish Fishery 

 Board. 1864, Professor Sars of Christiania commissioned by the 

 Norwegian Government to investigate the natural history of the 

 cod and the cod-fisheries of the Lofot Islands. 1870, the Prus- 

 sian Minister of Agriculture instituted a Commission for the 

 Investigation of the German Seas. 1871, institution of the 

 United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries. 1882, estab- 

 lishment of the new Fishery Board for Scotland; this marked the 

 first commencement, on a large scale, of the application of scientific 

 methods to British fishery problems. 1884, inauguration of the 

 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom (active 

 work at the Plymouth Marine Station commenced in 1887) on 

 the initiative of Professor Ray Lankester. The late Professor 

 Hu.xley was the first president. In the same year the marine 

 laboratories at St. Andrews and Granton (near Edinburgh) were 

 completed. 1886, a Fishery Department of the Board of Trade 

 was organized, but without power to make scientific investigations. 

 1899, an annual sum of ^10,000 was devoted to Irish Sea- 

 Fisheries. More recently the countries interested in the fisheries 

 of the North Sea have agreed to jointly investigate that area with 

 regard to fishery problems on scientific lines. In 1901 the Board 

 of Trade appointed a Committee on Ichthyological Research, with 

 the view of ascertaining the best methods of carrying out scientific 

 investigations of problems affecting British fisheries. The com- 

 mittee presented their report in the following year, suggesting 

 greatly increased expenditure, with a view to solving certain 

 pressing problems, and recommending, among other things, the 

 establishment of a Fishery Council for England. 



Some varieties of fishery work which are of special importance 

 may now be very briefly indicated. 



Statistics. — Until we know with some approach to definiteness 

 the amount of each kind of fish captured yearly, together with the 

 time, place, and method of capture, it will be impossible to form 

 a sound opinion as to whether the natural supply is actually 

 diminishing generally or locally. 



Habits and Life-Histories of Food-Fishes. — It is clear that full 

 knowledge on these points is absolutely necessary from the prac- 

 tical stand-point, for upon such knowledge must ultimately depend 

 the various means adopted for regulating the fishing industry. 

 Full information of the sort regarding any particular form, joined 



