1905. 



Proceedings of Irish Societies. 



S9 



ULSTER FISHERIES AND BIOLOGY ASSOCIATION. 



January 27. — The Annual INIeeting was held in the Museum of the 

 Belfast Natural History and Philosophical vSociety, the EARiy of 

 Shaftesbury in the chair. The Reports of the Council, Director, and 

 Naturalist for 1904 state that satisfactory progress has been made in 

 most of the work undertaken by the Association. Marine investigations 

 have been carried on continuousl)^ but owing to the difficulty of ob- 

 taining a steam-launch on Lough Neagh, the freshwater work has 

 suffered. It is to be hoped that a launch on Ivough 'Neagh will be 

 placed at the disposal of the members this coming year. 



In October the naturalist, Mr. Pearson, left to take up teaching work 

 in Cardiff, and it was with regret that the Council had to lose his ser- 

 vices. Mr. Pearson had carried out his duties with entire satisfaction, 

 and had the interests of the Association warmly at heart. After some 

 delay, Mr. H. J. Buchanan-Wollaston began work in December as Mr. 

 Pearson's successor. 



The Fisheries Branch of the Department of Agriculture again gave a 

 grant of ;,^ioo for certain wwk chiefly connected with Herrings and the 

 drift of our local waters. This has included the examination of Herring 

 with a view to determining facts in connection with spawning. Nearly 

 4,000 fish have been examined in the course of this inquiry, with careful 

 records as to the sire, condition of various organs, food, etc. This work 

 has been done by Messrs. Pearson, Patterson, Gough, and Wollaston, 

 and the Director. At the request of the Department of Agriculture, a 

 study of the drift of local waters by distributing bottles containing post- 

 cards has been continued. Mr. Cunningham, who has charge of this 

 matter, has now distributed about nine hundred of these bottles, and has 

 had nearly 50 per cent, of them reported as found at various parts of the 

 Irish and British coasts. He has tabulated the results, and hopes soon 

 to publish them. The faunistic survey of Larne Lough was continued 

 during the whole year. 



The Treasurer's statement shows a small balance {£,20 i8j. Sc/.) in hand, 

 but the Council most earnestly desire to see the roll of members largely 

 increased, and would urge the present members to see that this is done 

 without delay. If the work of the Association is not to be curtailed, the 

 present small income must be increased. 



The Council regret that no further progress has been made towards 

 the realisation of their hopes of obtaining a proper marine laboratory 

 and aquarium. This is an urgent need, and if the importance of 

 fishery work and general marine zoology were only appreciated by the 

 public, there could be no difficulty in obtaining the necessary funds. 

 _^5,ooo would establish the project on a firm basis, and the Council 

 strongly recommend its favourable consideration. Nothing would give 

 a greater impetus to the work and popularity of the Association than 

 the possession of a properly-equipped laboratory and aquarium. 



