88 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



hydrographic investigations that were conducted by the British 

 national fishery services in 1914 been restarted on the pre-war 

 scale. It is apparent now that these monthly, or even quarterly 

 cruises are impracticable because of the greatly increased cost 

 of maintaining the vessels in full commission. Proposals for 

 a greatly modified scheme of research were made by the 

 representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, 

 and the principal feature of these was the collection of samples 

 and observations by means of transatlantic and cross-channel 

 passenger vessels. I think this modification of the older 

 programme is thoroughly practical and adequate. With regard 

 to the Irish Sea, for instance, it would mean sending assistant 

 naturalists once a month on one or more of the vessels working 

 between, say, Fishguard and Rosslare, Holyhead and Dublin, 

 Liverpool and Douglas, and Fleetwood and Belfast, and it 

 would, probably, be quite easy to make arrangements for that 

 purpose with the various Companies. The new programme 

 would mean cutting out the collection of samples of water from 

 the bottom and intermediate levels, since to obtain these 

 soundings are required. But it is likely that surface samples 

 and observations would give us most of the data that are 

 immediately wanted. I undertook, on behalf of the Depart- 

 ment of Oceanography at Liverpool, to look after such work 

 of this kind as would be possible in the Irish Sea and in the 

 Atlantic with respect to vessels sailing from this port. 



Plaice Investigations in the Irish Sea. 



After the meeting of the International Council an arrange- 

 ment was made between the Ministry of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries and the Committee for the conduct of research into 

 the " plaice problem." The grant of £1,650 made by the 

 Development Commissioners in 1914 was renewed for the 

 financial year 1920-21, and most of it was expended upon the 

 part maintenance of the " James Fletcher " when engaged 

 on this work and upon the payment of the salary and expenses 



