PART III —SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS. 



GENERAL STATEMENT. 



This, the Third Part of the Seventh Annual Report, deals with 

 the results of the Trawling Experiments, and of the Special 

 Statistics, and with the Biological, Physical, and other Investiga- 

 tions undertaken during 1888. An account is also given of the 

 contemporary scientific work in connection with Fisheries in this 

 and other countries. 



The Scientific Report has been prepared by a Committee of the 

 Board, consisting of Professor Cossar Ewart (Convener), Sir 

 J. R.-G.-Maitland, Bart., Mr William Boyd, and Mr W. Anderson 

 Smith. Professor Ewart and Sir James Maitland have continued 

 to act in the direction of the Scientific Investigations, and have 

 had the assistance of Dr T. Wemyss Fulton, the Secretary of the 

 Scientific Report Committee. 



Since the Scientific Investigations were organised on a special 

 basis, and as far as possible separated from the administrative duties 

 of the Board, the work has undergone considerable expansion both 

 in extent and direction. The Scientific Staff, continuously employed 

 in the inquiries instituted by the Department, now consists of 

 three trained naturalists, and an assistant naturalist — namely, 

 John Beard, B.Sc., Ph.D., lately Assistant Professor in the University 

 of Freiburg, Baden; Mr J. H. Fullarton, M.A., B.Sc, previously 

 assistant to the Professor of Zoology in Glasgow University; Mr 

 Thomas Scott, and Mr Peter Jamieson. The supervision of the 

 physical inquiries carried on is in the hands of Dr John Gibson 

 of the Chemical Laboratory, University of Edinburgh ; and Mr 

 Duncan Matthews, F.R.S.E., and Mr W. R. Smith, B.Sc, have been 

 engaged in the study of the extensive statistical information 

 collected. Dr Edington has been engaged in a special investigation 

 into the organisms connected with salmon disease. 



Owing to the rapid development of the Scientific Department 

 of the Board, and the numerous and complex questions which 

 require consideration and treatment, the Committee have felt it 

 desirable to be placed in a position to obtain the advice and 

 co-operation of a number of gentlemen of recognised authority in 

 special branches of inquiry connected with fisheries. At the 

 invitation of the Secretary for Scotland the following gentlemen 

 have courteously agreed to associate themselves with the Depart- 

 ment as a Committee of Advice and Reference :— Professors 



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