62 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
The Mayor of Bootle, (Mr. J. Vicars,) proposed ‘‘ The Isle of Man Natural 
History and Antiquarian Society,’ Mr. A. W. Moore, President, and Mr. 
Kermode, Secretary, acknowledged the toast. The former expressed the hope 
that the investigations of the biologists might result in bringing back the 
herring, which had deserted the island. 
His Excellency, in giving ‘‘ Success to the Liverpool Marine Biology Com- 
mittee,” said: I have ventured once to-day, already, to say something as te 
the virtue of research for truth for truth’s sake, but I do not know that such 
research need hinder you also from research into those practical objects with 
which the inhabitants of the Isle of Man and of the whole British Islands are 
so closely identified. Mr. Moore has alluded to the disappearance of the 
herring from these shores. I think that was an exaggerated form of words. 
I ate one of them for breakfast this morning, (Laughter). But there is no 
subject to which Marine Biologists could better devote themselves than to 
trace the causes which govern the migration of the herrings, considering how 
those migrations do govern the prosperity of the fishermen. (Hear, hear.) 
I need hardly remind you that there is no fish which produces so much wealth 
to the United Kingdom as the herring, while in this Island the herring 
assumes an absolutely national importance. We have towns in this Island 
built out of the profits of the herring fishery, We have large numbers of the 
population dependent on the herring fishery ; and so strong is the connection 
between the herring and the Island, that actually to this day, when we swear 
in a new judge, we always require him to administer justice as evenly as the 
backbone of the herring lies in the fish—(laughter)—a symbol which I may 
say parenthetically, was, I imagine, drawn by a fisherman and not by a scien- 
tist, because there is some little doubt about whether the backbone does lie 
evenly in the body of the herring. (Laughter and applause). 
Now there is this that is remarkable about the herring. If you go to any 
portion of the United Kingdom, or this Island, you will always hear com- 
plaints that the herring are disappearing, and if you examine any statistics 
connected with the herring fishery, you will find that taking ten years by 
ten years, the prodigious capture of the herring has gone on steadily increasing. 
(Laughter). Facts, therefore, are rather opposed to theory in this case, and 
in fact I know of nothing more instructive than to open the herring, or when 
you are munching the hard roe, to try and count the number of eggs. 
(laughter). 1 think for one when you have failed in that attempt, as you will 
fail, you will find a new proof that the old fiat is as true as when it was first 
pronounced, ‘‘let the waters bring forth abundantly the many creatures that 
have life.” But if it is not true that the herring is decreasing, it is true that 
there are variations in the migration of the herring, which are seriously 
affecting the fishermen. (Hear, hear). If you ask the fishermen, you will 
gather the most fanciful reasons for these migrations. I recollect once being 
