78 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
and it was found that the contents of the herring stomach 
consisted almost entirely of partially digested Temora with. 
about half a dozen crab zoea in a fragmentary condition. A 
count of the more perfect Temora was made and 975 specimens 
found. Itis evident that the herring caught at the end of July, 
1917, had been feeding on the red patches described above. 
The very fresh condition of some of the Temora in the stomach 
indicated that they had been recently eaten, and it is probable 
that the visitation of such large numbers of Temora had lasted 
for nearly a month. The herring does not appear to make 
any selection of species, and simply feeds upon whatever 
crustacea are present around it as it swims along. The major 
part of the food in the stomachs examined in July, 1916, 
consisted of Calanus finmarchicus and larval Schizopoda. 
IVY. MorEcAMBE SpRAT FISHERY. 
The season 1917-1918 (October to February) was a partial 
failure. This was not so much due to the scarcity of the fisn 
as, in the main, to the bad weather. The prevailing winds — 
were from the south and south-west, and frequently reached 
the strength of a gale. This kind of weather is quite unfavour- — 
able to a successful prosecution of the sprat fishery. It sets 
up heavy seas which prevent the use of the stow-net from the — 
anchored boats. The system was fully described in the report 
for 1915. The conditions most favourable for a successful — 
sprat fishery at Morecambe are light easterly winds and very — 
little sea. The quantity of sprats caught was slightly over 400 — 
tons. The quantity caught m 1916-1917 was 740 tons. Owing © 
to the higher prices that were obtained the money value of the | 
sprats caught in 1917-1918 was nearly double the amount 
obtained for the much greater catch in 1916-1917. Maximum 
retail prices for most kinds of fish came into force on January 
23rd, 1918. The maximum price allowed for sprats is 6d. per 
