SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 247 



Subsequently Mr. Dawson and Professor Herdman 

 prepared reports on the matter, which, are reprinted in 

 the Eeport for 1903 of the Lancashire Sea Fisheries 

 Laboratory. J Then about the beginning- of the present 

 year I was instructed by the Committee to make a 

 bacteriological analysis of the mussels growing on this, 

 and the other beds, in the Mersey Estuary. 



Two preliminary analyses of the mussels from 

 Egremont were made on January 4th and 18th, 1904. 

 Then a third and more detailed examination was made on 

 February 3rd. On February 2nd I visited the bed at low 

 water with Mr. Fish, one of the bailiffs at 2s"ew Brighton. 

 The exact situation of the bed, and the sewer outfalls in 

 proximity to it, are shown in the accompanying sketch 

 chart, Plate I., which is reproduced from a chart of the 

 shellfish beds of the whole district, prepared by the late 

 Mr. Dawson, and submitted by him in evidence before the 

 Sewage Commission.* At that time the bed consisted of 

 two portions, one to the IN'orth of the Ferry-slip, which 

 contained only young mussels, and was not fished, and the 

 other, South of the slip, on which large mussels were 

 present. It was from this southern portion that I 

 collected the sample for analysis. While we were on 

 the bed two men came down with bags and began to 

 gather the mussels, but were persuaded by Mr. Fish to 

 go away. But just as we left, several men came on 

 the bed with a cart and began to take the mussels. The 

 bed, then, was being worked at that time. Just now 

 (December, 1904) Mr. Eccles informs me that there are 

 practically no large mussels left on the southern portion, 



\ 4th Rept. Roy. Coram. Sewage Disposal, Vol. II., pp. 98-108 

 [cd. 1884] 1904. 



* Report 4, Vol. II., [cd. 1884] 1904. 



