488 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



confirm this conclusion. The mean number of sewage 

 bacteria isolated from a sample taken from Little-out 

 Skear in July was 600, while the sample of water taken 

 showed, in five plates made, a mean number of 0'4 

 bacteria per c.c. This, when considered along with the 

 natural conditions, may be regarded as negligible. 



But if the sewers still opening into the channel at 

 Morecambe were connected up to the main system, and 

 if the lavatories at the Old Harbour could also be drained 

 into the main sewer, there seems to be no reason why the 

 mussel ground in Ring Hole, and that on the Skears 

 further up the channel, as well as on the foreshore at 

 Bare, should not be regarded as clean. But this 

 conclusion would only follow provided that the discharge 

 from the main sewer outfall were properly regulated. 

 Obviously, if this discharge takes place at the beginning 

 of the flood stream, dilute sewage would be carried up 

 the channel into Ring Hole, and towards Stone Skear, 

 and the Bare foreshore. If, on the other hand, this 

 discharge could be regulated so as to begin as soon as 

 possible after the stream turned, and to continue to near 

 low water, but be stopped some little time before the tide 

 again began to flow, then the danger of contaminating 

 either the mussels in Ring Hole and further to the east, 

 or those at Hey sham Skears, would probably be so small 

 as to be negligible. Whether or not this is possible, and 

 whether those in charge of the sewage works could be 

 depended on to regulate the working of the main sewer 

 in a conscientious manner, is a matter for the considera- 

 tion of the local authority. Obviously, the freedom from 

 contamination of the mussel beds would depend on this. 



The efficacy of the septic tank installation must 

 also be considered, though this is perhaps a minor 

 consideration from the point o'f view of the dangerous 



