sea-fisheries laboratory. 77 



which we understand are waiting to be used ; series of 

 observations at sea, which were stopped pending the 

 receipt of support from Government, cannot yet be 

 resumed, and the break in our records becomes monthly 

 more serious and may at some future time prove a fatal 

 obstacle to the rompleteness and validity of important 

 conclusions. In the interests of fishery research on the 

 West Coast, it is devoutly to be hoped that the subsidy 

 recommended by the Commissioners to the Committee's 

 application may enable our full scheme of observations 

 and experiments to be resumed at an early date. It is 

 understood that the Commission has reported favourably 

 on our claims and that the answer from the Treasury may 

 now be received any day. We have suffered so much from 

 delay which we have been powerless to avert, that it may 

 be hoped that we shall now set an example to others by 

 promptly organising our scheme of work and expenditure, 

 in the event of an adequate grant being placed at our 

 disposal.* 



I have placed as an Appendix, at the end of this 

 Report, a detailed memoir on the Edible Whelk 

 (Buccinum undatum), prepared by Dr. W. J. Dakin, of 

 the Zoology department in the University of Liverpool. 

 The Whelk is of economic importance, both as a food- 

 matter and as a fisherman's bait, and I am sure thai 

 Fisheries Authorities and investigators will be glad to 

 have placed before them in this accessible form all the 

 information in regard to the animal's structure, actions, 

 life-history and value that has been brought together by 

 Dr. Dakin. W. A. Herdman. 



Fisheries Laboratory, 



Qniveesiti of Liverpool : 



March 2bth t 1912. 



* ZwPress,May Lst, L912. — Since the above wasprinted notification 

 . of a grant of £1,640 for the current year has been received, and the 

 new scheme ol investigation ander the Development .\«-i has nov, 

 Btarted. W.A.I I. 



