SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 155 
into the details of such proposed additional work until the 
scheme for the formation of the pond has been approved 
of. The primary object of the pond is the provision of an 
abundant supply of healthy fish spawn for the hatchery, 
but its use will be by no means restricted to that object. 
A spawning pond in which the eggs can be produced 
naturally from healthy parents is essential to successful 
hatching on a sufficiently large scale. 
The special parts of this Report which follow consist 
of :—my remarks upon the Oyster Bill, and a discussion of 
Fisheries Conferences and the need ofa ‘‘ Census”’ of our 
territorial waters; Mr. Scott’s account of the hatching 
operations at Piel; notes by Mr. Ascroft on the American 
Shad and the White Fluke; and finally, Mr. Johnstone’s 
detailed account of the structure of the edible Cockle, 
with an Appendix on the Cockling Statistics of our District. 
This section on the Cockle is illustrated by six plates, anda 
map showing the distribution of the cockle beds. 
I desire, in conclusion, to ask for a very careful considera- 
tion by the Committee of my remarks and recommendations 
on pages 158 to 162 in regard to a scheme for obtaining an 
approximate ‘‘Census’”’ of our fisheries district. 
W. A. HERDMAN. 
UNIVERSITY CoLLEGE, LIVERPOOL, 
December, 1899. 
