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Part III. — Tenth Annual Report 
has for several years past been very carefully investigated by Dr John 
Murray, Director of the ' Challenger ' Commission in the steam-yacht 
1 Medusa.' Dr Mill carried on investigations into the temperature, 
density, and salinity of the sea-water in the Clyde area during the years 
1886, 1887, 1888, and 1889. He describes in detail the physical 
geography of the district — the drainage areas and rainfall, the latter of 
which is considered most exhaustively. There are chapters on the tem- 
perature of the air, the salinity and chemical composition of the water, 
and on the temperature of the latter. There are twelve plates illus- 
trating the paper. 
The British Association for the Advancement of Science recently issued 
the fourth and final report of the committee appointed to arrange an 
investigation of the seasonal variations of temperature in lakes, rivers, and 
estuaries in various parts of the United Kingdom ; the report being drawn 
up by Dr H. R. Mill, who acted as secretary. The main object — the 
production of an authoritative and exhaustive memoir on the seasonal 
variations of temperature in inland waters and estuaries — had to be 
abandoned ; but the report contains information of considerable value in 
relation to lakes and rivers. A great number of observations are referred 
to, including those carried on by the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
The Sixth Annual Report of the Inspectors of Sea Fisheries of Eng- 
land and Wales, dealing with the year 1891, was issued lately.* In 
accordance with the formation of Sea Fisheries Districts around the coast, 
under the Fisheries Acts of 1888 and 1891, a considerable part of the volume 
is taken up with this subject, and a very instructive coloured map is given, 
showing the districts now formed and their limits. From this it appears 
that ten Sea Fisheries Districts, comprising a large part of the coasts of Eng- 
land and Wales, have been formed. On the East and South Coasts con- 
siderable areas have as yet not been formed into districts. The powers 
conferred upon the Local Sea Fisheries Committees by the Acts above 
referred to are extensive. The committees can close mussel and oyster 
beds by bye-law instead of by the more complicated and expensive 
machinery of a Regulating Order ; they can by the same mode determine, 
with regard to any specific area, the methods of fishing and the instru- 
ments which may be used, and the form and size of such instruments ; 
they can prohibit the deposit of deleterious substances, and can either 
fix an annual close season or can close beds in rotation for a specific 
number of years. By obtaining a Regulating Order under the Act of 
1868, they can fix the minimum sizes for mussels and cockles, receive 
powers to plant beds, to make bye-laws, &c. A great number of bye- 
laws have been passed by various District Committees on these lines. 
It is stated that the total take of sea-fish during the year has been 
slightly less than in 1890, the decrease being in great measure due to 
stormy weather, and having occurred chiefly in herrings and mackerel. 
Prime fish show a small increase ; crabs, lobsters, and oysters a decrease ; 
but the total value is higher than in the previous year. 
The increase in steam-trawling on the North-East Coast is described as 
remarkable. At Shields, Hull, and Grimsby several large new screw- 
trawlers have been added to the fleets. At Hull the number of steamers 
has been doubled during the year, and at the same time there has been 
a considerable decline in the number of sailing trawlers. At Boston the 
steam fleet has also been increased. It is pointed out by Mr Malan that 
this great increase in catching power does not seem to have improved the 
fisheries, a falling off in the catch of mature plaice having occurred. Hun- 
* Sea Fisheries {England and Wales) Sixth Annual, Reports of the Inspectors .( for 
1891), London, 1892. 
