246 MR. T. SOUTHWELL ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
members of the staff, all of wliom should he under the same head, 
hut there is far more important work for the chief to perform, 
and that such as only a mind trained to accurate observation could 
satisfactorily accomplish. With the aid of a small hut efficient 
staff, it should he his duty to collect evidence from the fishermen 
on any special subject which might arise, for the information of the 
government, or wdth a view to legislation. He should also from time 
to time personally inspect the fishing grounds ; conduct investi- 
gations as to the habits, food, distribution, and reproduction of the 
various food fishes of our seas, in wdiich ho might probably he 
largely assisted by the Marino Biological Stations which will 
doubtless soon be established on our coasts ; and last, but not 
least, it should be his duty to obtain accurate information ■with 
regard to the enemies each species has to contend "with, and the 
best means, if any, for affording them protection, more particularly 
in the early stage of their existence. Useful information of this 
description could not possibly be supplied l>y the fishermen them- 
selves : none but trained experts w’ould be able to discriminate 
cither what to observe, or in what manner the observations should 
be conducted, and the collection of such data would involve an 
amount of skill only equalled by that required to form reliable 
deductions from the facts observed. The experience to be 
obtained by such investigations, if properly applied, ivould, I 
believe, be bejmnd all price, and might lead to a vastly increased 
supply of fish and Molluscs, under such circumstances as would 
entail no risk of exhaustion from over fishing or undue destruction 
of immature fish ; indeed, a better knowledge of tbe spawning 
grounds might teach us to avoid certain spots at particular seasons 
very much to our ultimate advantage, and even enable us to 
replenish the stock of fish by means of artificial propagation. All 
this could only be worked out by trained biologists, and it is for 
this reason that I trust a scientific head may preside over the 
English Fisheries Board wdienever such a body is constituted. The 
annual reports of such a body could not fail to be of the greatest 
value in every way. 
