SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 151 



Scheme of Scientific Work. 



At the quarterly meeting of the Scientific Sub- 

 Committee held at Preston on November 8th, 1905, I 

 submitted a scheme of scientific work in progress and 

 contemplated. The headings of this scheme (as drawn up 

 in November) were as follows : — 



" 1.- — D istribution of Fish Eggs. 



" This has been attentively studied during the present 

 year, and from one to two hundred bottles of plankton 

 have been examined. In regard to future work, tow- 

 nettings should be taken by the steamer as formerly, and 

 surface and bottom gatherings made every time the net 

 is hauled. Bottom tow-nettings need not be made at 

 (1) Blackpool Closed Ground, (2) near Nelson Buoy, 

 (3) off the River Mersey. Tow-nettings should be sent 

 regularly by the bailiffs in the Western District. One 

 should be taken every fortnight by the bailiffs at 

 Carnarvon, Pwllheli, and New Quay.* So also with the 

 bailiffs at New Brighton and Fleetwood. Hensen net 

 collections should be made by the steamer, beginning 

 early in January, and continued as often as is practicable. 

 ." 2.— Fish Foods. 



" The food of the plaice, dab, and sole have been 

 studied during the present year from the point of view of 

 the competition between fish on the same ground. A 

 large number of observations have been made and 

 recorded, and will be published in the next Report. This 

 work should be continued. It is best done by a scientist 

 on board the steamer, but when neither scientist is on 

 board a parcel of fish containing half a dozen soles, dabs 



* The investigation of the plankton of Cardigan Bay is most 

 important from the point of view of immigration of species into our 

 area, and it would be well to obtain as many tow-nettings as possible 

 from these parts. 



