MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 61 



Mr. W. Watterson was again good enough to keep a 

 record of the long-line fishing carried on by the Port Erin 

 fishermen during the winter of 1901-2. This, together 

 with a report on the local fisheries, prepared by my 

 assistant, is appended (p. 53.) 



With a view of ascertaining the minimum size at 

 which the common lobster begins to spawn in this district, 

 I determined at the beginning of the year to measure as 

 many females " in berry " as possible, and to note the 

 condition of the egg*s. Measurements were made 

 frequently until the middle of March, when the lobster 

 fishery is discontinued to some extent, and my thanks are 

 due to Mr. H. 'Cregeen, one of the principal lobster fisher- 

 men, for permission to measure the lobsters caught in his 

 pots. Two of the specimens measured 8 j inches from the 

 tip of the rostrum to the end of the telson, but nearly half 

 the total number were from 9 to 10 inches in length. The 

 eggs were in all cases small and dark blue-black in colour, 

 and appeared to be newly extruded. 



On account of the large demands made upon my time 

 by the erection and equipment of the new Station, I have 

 not been able to pay much attention to faunistic work. 

 Tow-netting and shore collecting have been carried on 

 whenever possible, but with the exception of the fishes 

 already noted, no specimens of special interest have come 

 under my notice. 



The Easter vacation party was again most successful. 

 Favoured by plenty of genial sunshine and light winds, 

 shore collecting and tow-netting excursions were engaged 

 in almost daily by every member of the party; the caves 

 in the vicinity of the Sugar-loaf Rock were visited, and 

 much valuable material was collected and preserved for 

 future study. 



At the beginning of July the new building was so far 



