42 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



ledges and even dishes placed high, on the walls, in great 

 profusion. They were seen to be jumping up the steps leading 

 from the beach and to be able to climb the vertical concrete 

 wall of the Station to a height of several feet. These invasions 

 seem to be on occasions of exceptionally high tides coinciding 

 with a heavy shower of rain. 



In the Report for the following year, 1894, we see the 

 beginnings of the connection which was afterwards established 

 between the Liverpool Committee and the Isle of Man Govern- 

 ment for the promotion of fish culture at Port Erin. An Act of 

 Tynwald was passed creating a Fishery Board for the Island 

 with powers to make bye-laws and promote the local fishing 

 industries in other ways. This movement led to the intro- 

 duction of fisheries work at the Biological Station. Observations 

 on the spawning seasons and localities and experiments in the 

 hatching of the fertilised ova of various food-fishes were carried 

 on during this and following years. 



It may be of interest to insert here the following account 

 of the procedure adopted on one of the dredging expeditions 

 in this year. It is a good example of the advantages of " team- 

 work" in such an investigation. 



" When the first locality is reached the spot is determined 

 on the chart, and the depth verified by a cast of the lead. Then 

 the dredge (measuring 2 feet 6 inches by 1 foot, and weighing 

 from 30 to 40 lbs.) is sent down with a tow-net tied on the 

 rope about two fathoms from the dredge. Very often a smaller 

 dredge with a bag of cheese-cloth is sent over on the other side 

 of the ship. One or more surface tow-nets are also put out. 

 The tow-nets, both surface and deep, are looked after by Mr. 

 I. C. Thompson, who first turns out their contents into a clear 

 glass jar of sea- water, and then, after noting the general 

 character of the catch and any specially conspicuous forms, 

 strains off the water through a small bag made of very fine 

 millers' silk, and transfers the ' plankton ' left adhering to the 



