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this very subject, viz., « How to obtain annual s'iiti.ilics of the 

 produce of Fisheries; » then, as now, his conclusions were 

 that the problem is a most difficult one, and can never be 

 thoroughly solved. He, however, adds some general returns, 

 the result of the inquiry for collecting materials for the law on 

 fishery between 1869 and 1871, giving them for what they are 

 worth. From the report on fisheries then presented to Parlia- 

 ment he quotes the following data. The number of men engaged 

 in sea-fisheries on December 31st, 1869, with the exclusion of 

 the then Papal States, was 60,000, employing 18,000 boats and 

 giving a mean annual produce valued at 40 millions lire. It 

 does not appear that any statistics were then collected for the 

 important lagoon and estuary fisheries, and the results relating 

 to fresh water fisheries arc far from complete; they gave the 

 numbers of fishermen at 3000, and the value of produce at 

 between 3 and 4 millions of lire. For the sea-fisheries the best 

 source of information were the maritime inscriptions, and they 

 may easily give erroneous results for the special object, in view. 

 In 1X78 the official returns give the following data: Fishery pro- 

 ducts exported, 39,887 kilogrammes, value 3,259,670 lire; fishery 

 products /nipotini, 44,060,300 kilogrammes, value 21,479,740 lire. 

 These data cannot be much altered now, and show an immense 

 difference in favour <>f imports, a proof that our consumption 

 is not. balanced by onr produce. At present our fisheries, as 

 an industry, considered i it masse, cannot be said to prosper, 

 but no doubt better days are in store, and will come for this 

 as for other Italian interests; the actuation of the new law on 

 fischery, and the untiring exertions of Government to aid and 

 protect individual enterprise, cannot but lead to good results 

 The biblioij uphy relating to Italian fish and fisheries is rich and 

 extensive; a valuable contribution on that subject, was collected 

 hy Dr. Cavanna for the Berlin International Fisheries Exhibition 

 in 1880, and published at Government expense. 

 Royal Zoological Museum, Florence, 



April 12 1883. 



