1M TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



PEPORT ON THE TOW-NETTINGS. 

 By Andrew Scott. 



During" the year 1905 three hundred and sixty-five 

 tow-nettings have been examined. These collections were 

 made in various parts of the Irish Sea, extending from 

 Luce Bay in the North to Fishguard Bay in the South. 

 Of this number, two hundred and ninety-seven were taken 

 by the steamer, forty-one by the Welsh officers at Car- 

 narvon, Pwllheli and New Quay, and twenty-seven by Mr. 

 Chadwick at Port Erin. A continuous series from any 

 particular area can scarcely be expected under the present 

 system. The primary work of the steamer is to patrol 

 the whole coast line of Lancashire and Wales, from 

 Haverigg Point to Kemmaes Head, and occasionally visit 

 the Isle of Man and Milford Haven Districts. The 

 Fishery Officers have their particular sections to supervise, 

 and Mr. Chadwick has many duties to perform. The 

 tow-nettings can, therefore, only be taken when time 

 permits, or in conjunction with other work such as 

 collecting trawling statistics, and are liable to be inter- 

 rupted through pressure nf work or stress of weather. At 

 some future period a more regular system of collecting 

 may be attained by the provision of a special scientific 

 steamer. Meanwhile we make the most of the material 

 we get, and are very grateful for the opportunities 

 afforded us. The information derived from these tow- 

 nettings is gradually extending our knowledge of the 

 periodic occurrence and distribution of the pelagic 

 organisms in our area. 



It is proposed in this report to deal specially with the 

 result of the examination of the collections from Cardigan 

 Bay, as it is the only area from which we have a series 

 representing every month in the year, 



