SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 187 



to trace these young stages of crabs arid lobsters, 

 shrimps and prawns, and other allied animals, 

 throughout their life-histories, and also in their distribu- 

 tion over the district and through the year. A first 

 report on this subject from Mr. Jackson appears now, 

 and a more detailed account of the matter will be ready 

 next year. 



Mr. Robert Ray, a post-graduate research worker in 

 the Zoological Department, has given valued assistance 

 by undertaking some of the work at sea on the periodic 

 cruises, and he has also started a comprehensive investi- 

 gation of the bottom deposits of the various fishing 

 grounds in the Irish Sea, especially in their relation to 

 the animals, large and small, associated with particular 

 kinds of deposits, and to the food,, direct or indirect, of 

 edible fishes. This research ought to throw light on 

 the biological significance of the various deposits and 

 their influence on the distribution of demersal fishes. 

 The work, though in progress, is not yet sufficiently 

 advanced to justify publication, but Mr. Ray will 

 probably have a report ready for next year's volume. 



The plankton work published in this report is in 

 continuation of that given in last year's volume, and in 

 addition to the " Intensive Study " in the Irish Sea, and 

 the observations on the sea outside our area to the north, 

 Mr. Riddell gives a first report on the plankton of the 

 periodic cruises in the S.S. " James Fletcher." 



Mr. Scott's report on the Fish Hatching at Piel 

 shows that in the case of the Flounder the operations 

 resulted in the liberation of 13 millions of fry, and in 

 the case of the Plaice of one million fry, which must be 

 regarded as satisfactory, considering the limited space. 



A considerable portion of our travelling Fisheries 

 Exhibition has, at the request of the Board of Agriculture 



