SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 179 



To meet various enquiries, I now place on recoid the 

 following outline account of our scheme of work, with a 

 summary of the results obtained so far. Further details 

 on some points will be found in the full reports given 

 below by the members of the Staff. 



Details of the Scientific Investigations now being 

 carried on with a view to the development of 

 the Sea-Fisheries. 



1. Hydrographic and Plankton Investigations. 



Systematic observations of the temperature of the Nature of 

 Sea off the coasts of Lancashire and North Wales, along 

 with the collection of water samples for analysis, and of 

 plankton samples throughout the year in the eastern 

 half of the Irish Sea, the area not worked by the Irish 

 Board, and extending to Holyhead, the Isle of Man and 

 Mull of Galloway (see accompanying chart, p. 180). 



To associate the temperature and salinity variations Object. 



in the coastal waters with the movements and spawning 



periods of soles, plaice, flounders, whiting and cod. 



The Stall on board the Fisheries steamer " James B y wllom 



. . carried out. 



Fletcher and the Hydrographic Assistant at the 



Liverpool Laboratory. The Naturalists at the Piel 



Laboratory and at the Liverpool Laboratory work out the 



plankton samples — both qualitatively and quantitatively. 



Monthly cruises of four days each, involving whole Methods. 



time of steamer and crew. The rest of the work is 



carried out in the laboratories as part of the routine work. 



2. Biological and Statistical Investigations. 



Systematic collection of samples of plaice, soles and Natareof 

 other fishes from various fishing grounds, at periodic 

 times. The examination of these samples at the 

 Liverpool Laboratory with respect to (1) size, (2) weight, 



