SEA-FISHEEIES LABOEATOEY. 117 



The number is marked with blue and black pencils in 

 duplicate on opposite corners of the card, in case of one 

 edge of the card getting worn by moisture ; and the card 

 is so rolled in the bottle that one of these numbers can 

 be read through the glass, in order that a record may be 

 kept of when and where each bottle is set free. Mr. 

 Andrew Scott has collated these records with the particu- 

 lars of finding of those bottles which have been recovered, 

 and I am indebted to him for the details upon which the 

 following statement of results is based. 



Altogether out of the 1045 bottles distributed, over 440 

 or 42 per cent., more than two in five, have been 

 subsequently picked up on the shore, and the paper, or post 

 card, has been duly filled up and returned. We beg to 

 thank the various finders of the bottles for their kindness 

 ill filling and posting the cards. They come from various 

 parts of the coast of the Irish Sea — Scotland, England, 

 "Wales, Isle of Man, and Ireland. Some of the bottles 

 have gone quite a short distance, having evidently been 

 ta,ken straight ashore by the rising tide ; while others 

 have been blown ashore by the wind, e.g., two (post cards 

 211 and 214) let off near New Brighton stage on 9th 

 October, 1895, the tide ebbing and the wind N.N.W., 

 were found next day near the Ked Noses, 1 mile to the 

 west. Others have been carried an unexpected length, 

 e.g., one (No. 35), set free near the Crosby Light Vessel, 

 off Liverpool, at 12.30 p.m., on October 1st, was picked 

 up at Saltcoats, in Ayrshire, on November 7th, having 

 travelled a distance of at least 180 miles* in thirty-seven 

 days ; another (H. 20) was set free near the Skerries, 

 Anglesey, on October 6th, and was picked up one mile 

 north of Ardrossan, on November 7th, having travelled 



* More probably, very much further, as during that time it would 

 certainly be carried backwards aud forwards by the tide, 



