110 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



year, some more detailed contribution of permanent value 

 to Fisheries Science. Thus, once we had the work on the 

 Chemistry and Pathology of Oysters and other shell-fish, 

 and their connection with disease in man ; once we had 

 the account of oyster culture on the West Coast of France ; 

 Mr. Johnstone in one report dealt with the reproduction of 

 the common mussel, and in another he gave us a very full 

 account of the cockle ; and last year the report contained a 

 detailed description of certain very important fish parasites. 

 This y ear we have what I suppose is the most complete 

 account of a single fish that has yet been produced. It is 

 a memoir on the common Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), by 

 Mr. F. J. Cole, of University College, and Mr. James John- 

 stone. Mr. Cole and Mr. Johnstone have had this work in 

 hand for the last two years, and the pages and plates that 

 make up the greater part of this report represent an enor- 

 mous amount of labour both in the laboratory and the study. 

 The Plaice is one of our most important British fishes; it is 

 one of those local and sedentary forms in regard to which 

 our apprehensions may well be excited in view of the 

 marked increase of fishing power in recent years. It was 

 one of the fish to which the attention of the Parliamen- 

 tary Committees of 1893 and 1900 was specially given, and 

 in which all the Countries of Northern Europe are at 

 present interested because of the scheme for an International 

 Investigation of the North Sea. Under these circumstances 

 any contribution to our knowledge of the Plaice must be 

 especially welcome, and all knowledge it must be remem- 

 bered is of value, and helps us to understand the nature 

 and life of the fish in its manifold relations. For those 

 readers, however, who do not feel interested in the details 

 of structure, I may add that the Introduction, the discussion 

 of the nature and origin of the asymmetry, and the two 



