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PROCHEDINGS
AND
TRANSACTIONS
OF THE
LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
WV Oli. XEX:
SESSION 1904-1905.
LIVERPOOL:
C. Tinting & Co., Ltp., Printers, 53, Victorra STREET.
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CONTENTS.
I.—PROCEEDINGS.
Office-bearers and Council, 1904-1905 .
Report of the Council .
Summary of Proceedings at the Meetings
List of Members .
Treasurer’s Balance Sheet
IL.—TRANSACTIONS.
Presidential Address—‘‘ Mollusea and their Shells.’’
By Aurrep LEICESTER
Kighteenth Annual Report of the Liverpool Marine
Biological Committee and their Biological Station
at Port Erin (with an Appendix on the
“Antiquities of the Isle of Man’’). By Prof. W.
A. Herpmay, D.8c., F.R.S., and P. M. C. Kermonpe,
F.S.A., Scot.
“Young Crocodilians in Captivity.” By Dr. J. H.
O’CoNNELL .
Report on the Investigations carried on during 1904,
in connection with the Lancashire Sea-Fisheries
Laboratory, at the University of Liverpool, and
the Sea-Fish Hatchery at Piel, near Barrow.
By Prof. W. A. Herpmay, D.Se., F.R.£., Pyprew
Scott, A.L.S., and James Jonnstong, B.Sc.
Or
165
181
wa i] —
ss ¢ |. = =a
P x iM
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a ES .
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ae 5 '
-
*.
,
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
ERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
~
i Saas 3
OFFICE-BEARERS AND COUNCIL.
Gx- Presidents :
1886—87 Pror. W. MITCHELL BANKS, M.D., F.R.C.S.
i387—83 J.J. DRYSDALE;M.D. =
1888—89 Pror. W. A. HERDMAN, D.Sc., F.R.S.E.
1889—90 Pror. W. A. HERDMAN, D.Sc., F.R.S.E.
1890—91 T. J. MOORE, C.M.Z.S.
1891—92 T. J. MOORE, C.M.Z.S.
1892—93 ALFRED O. WALKER, J.P.. F.L.S.
1893—94 JOHN NEWTON, M.R.C.S.
1894—95 Pror. F. GOTCH, M.A., F.R.S.
1895—96 Pror. R. J. HARVEY GIBSON, M.A.
1896—97 HENRY O. FORBES, LL.D., F.Z.S.
1897—98 ISAAC C. THOMPSON, F.L.S., F.R-M.S.
1898—99 Pror. C. S. SHERRINGTON, M.D., F.R.S.
1899—1900 J. WIGLESWORTH, M.D., F.R.C.P.
1900—1901 Pror. PATERSON, M.D., M.R.C.S.
1901—1902 HENRY C. BEASLEY.
1902—1903 R. CATON, M.D., F.R.C.P.
1903—1904 Rev. T. S. LEA, M.A.
SESSION XIX., 1904-1905.
Wreswent:
ALFRED LEICESTER.
Vice- Presidents :
Rev. T. 8S. LEA, M.A.
Pror. W. A. HERDMAN, D.Sc., F.R.S.
Hon. Creasurer :
1 OM Ga ia" FLO ge
Hon. Hibrarvan :
JAMES JOHNSTONE, B.Sc.
Hon. Secretary:
JOSEPH A. CLUBB, M.Sc.
Council :
HENRY 0. BEASLEY. | JOSEPH LOMAS, F.G.S.
Pror. BOYCE. . | Pror. PATERSON, M.D..
De. J. W. ELLIS. | M.R.C.S.
7
es Pes ES Sirk CHARLES PETRIE.
_W. HANNA, M.A., M.B.
W. S. LAVEROCK, M.A., B.Sc. | W. C. STAPLEDON.
REPORT of the COUNCIL.
Durine the Session 1904-1905 there have been seven
ordinary meetings and two field meetings of the Society, |
both joint meetings with the Owens College Biological
Society.
The communications made to the Society have been
representative of almost all branches of Biology, and the
exhibition of microscopic preparations and other objects
of interest has been well maintained at the meetings.
By invitation of the Council, Dr. W. E. Hoyle, Director
of the Manchester Museum, delivered a lecture on
February 10th, on “Recent Researches on the Cephalopoda.”’
The Library continues to make satisfactory progress,
and additional important exchanges have been arranged
during the year.
The Treasurer’s statement and balance sheet are
appended.
The members at present on the roll are as follows : —
Honorary: Members ~.:..:. 7.77 8
Ordinary Members =... 7.533 67
Associate Members ...:........05me 3
Student Members —..........ssa 10
SUMMARY of PROCEEDINGS at the MEETINGS.
The first meeting of the nineteenth session was held at
the University, on Friday, October 14th, 1904.
The President-elect (Mr. Alfred Leicester) took the
chair in the Zoology Theatre.
.
-
~
.
4.
The Report of the Council on the Session 1903-1904
(see “ Proceedings,” Vol. XVIII., p. vil.) was
submitted and adopted.
The Treasurer's Balance Sheet for the Session 1903-
1904 (see “‘ Proceedings,” Vol. XVIII., p. xix.) was
submitted and approved.
The following Office-bearers and Council for the
ensuing Session were elected :—Vice-Presidents,
Professor Herdman, D.Sc., F.R.S., and Rev. T. S.
Lea, M.A.; Hon. Treasurer, T. C. Ryley; Hon.
Librarian, James Johnstone, B.Sc.; Hon. Secre-
tary, Joseph A. Clubb, M.Sc.; Council, Prof.
Boyce, H. C. Beasley, Dr. J. W. Ellis, W. J. Halls,
ie tanna, MeA., M.B., W. Haydon, W. 8S.
Laverock, M.A., B.Sc., Joseph Lomas, F.G.S.,
Prof. Paterson, M.D., M.R.C.S., Sir Charles Petrie,
Prof. Sherrington, F.R.S., and H. Wade-Deacoun.
Alfred Leicester delivered the Presidential
Address entitled, ‘‘ Mollusca and their Shells”
(see “ Transactions,” p. 1). A vote of thanks was
proposed by Mr. W. Haydon, seconded by Prof.
Herdman, and carried with acclamation.
X. LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
The second meeting of the nineteenth session was held
at the University, on Friday, November 11th, 1904. The
President in the chair.
1. Prof. Herdman, F.R.S., submitted the Annual Report
on the work of the Liverpool Marine Biology Com-
mittee and the Port Erin Biological Station (see
“Transactions,” p. 5).
2. Mr. P. M. C. Kermode, F.S.A.Scot., communicated a
paper entitled, ** Notes on the Pre-historie Anti-
quities of the Isle of Man” (see “* Transactions,”
p. 57).
The third meeting of the nineteenth session was held
at the University, on Friday, December 9th, 1904. The
President in the chair
1. Mr. H. C. Beasley exhibited and described casts of
a series of footprints from the Trias.
2. The Secretary communicated a note by Mr. Oulton
Harrison on the occurrence of the Kingfisher in the
neighbourhood, and exhibited a specimen recently
taken at Wavertree.
3. Dr. J. H. O’Connell gave a paper on * Young Croco-
dilians in Captivity ” (see ‘* Transactions,” p. 165).
On December 12th, by invitation of the Owens College
Biological Society, a party of Members went to Man-
chester, when a lecture was delivered by Prof. Hickson
on “ Organisms of Disease.”
SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS. aul.
The fourth meeting of the nineteenth session was held
at the University, on Friday, January 15th, 1905. The
President in the chair.
I. Mr. H. C. Beasley exhibited some canine teeth taken
from a portion of a skull, found on the Leasowe
shore.
Mr. J. A. Clubb communicated a note on the
occurrence of variation in the number of spines of
the first dorsal fin of Gobius minutus.
3. Mr. J. Johnstone submitted the Annual Report of the
investigations carried on during 1904, in connec-
tion with the Lancashire Sea Fisheries Committee’
(see “ Transactions,” p. 181).
The fifth meeting of the nineteenth session was held at
the University, on Friday, February 10th, 1905. The
President in the chair. ;
1. Dr. W. E. Hoyle, Director of the Manchester Museum,
delivered a lecture on * Recent Researches on the
Cephalopoda.” The Lecturer gave an interesting
account of many points in the minute anatomy of
some of the cuttlefishes, and described some remark-
able and previously unknown organs discovered in
specimens taken by Prof. Herdman off Ceylon. )
co cas he see ... 35,000
, 2st \.. . (2
\ eore ae s: ... 44,000
, 2th . ©. 1
» 2oth mee a. ... 49,000
May 4th ... .. 1 .eam
Fyne bee nee Nh . Oe
818,800
As all the above numbers are based on minimum
countings and estimates, the total is almost certainly
greater than that shown; and I think it is safe to conclude-
that we liberated about a million of healthy young plaice
in the open sea. We hope to deal with still larger
numbers next year. Our pond will accommodate a much
larger number of spawning fish than we had this year.
Our hatching boxes will hold more eggs, and we have
room to add, if necessary, further ranges of boxes.
We hope, also, to make some improvement in the
mechanism and circulation of water, which will ‘prevent
a certain wastage of eggs that occurred this season.
It is evident, from questions that have been asked by
those who saw the hatching in progress, that some
i te en |)
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. een
= See BeSy) ea
SSS => = =
\7 days: ready 7S eae
Fi¢. 9.—Embryonic development of Plaice.
32 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
information as to the life-history and habits of the young
plaice may be a useful addition to this report.
The average size at which the female plaice becomes
mature in our seas is ‘about 14 to 15 inches; and if it were
possible to so regulate matters, it would be very desirable,
in the interests of the fisheries, that each mature plaice
should be allowed to spawn at least once before being
caught. The spawning in our seas takes place in the
early months of the year
a little earlier or a little later,
according to the locality and temperature of the season—
but we may say, in general, from January or February to
May, with a maximum in March. ‘The fertilised egg is
spherical and transparent, floats at the surface of the sea,
jeivels, ilo),
and measures about 1-12th of an imch (19 mm.) in
diameter. The period that the embryo remains inside the
ege-covering also depends, to some extent, upon the
temperature of the sea water at the time. It may probably
vary from a fortnight to three weeks; and 17 or 18 days
may be taken as an average time. During the last fort-
night of this period the young fish may be clearly seen
with the microscope inside the egg-covering (see
figure 9, p. 31), and for the last few days before hatching
it lies coiled up, and occasionally moving, ready to burst
through its shell and emerge as a larva.
When the larval plaice hatches out (see figure 10) it
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 33
is about + of an inch (7 mm.) in length, and is unable to
feed through its mouth; and so for about a fortnight it
obtains its nutriment solely from the food-yolk contained
in the yolk-sac, which hangs down from the lower surface
of the body. During this period it is active and leads a
surface life, partly swimming spasmodically by contrac-
tions of the muscular tail, and partly drifting passively
with the current. It can do little as yet to avoid an
enemy, and is easily caught with a small net, a dish, or a
dipping tube. After about a fortnight the larva begins
to feed. The yolk has then been used up, the jaws have
formed, bones have developed in its body, the muscular
system is stronger, and the little fish is able to pursue and
capture prey, to eat and digest its food. This at first
consists of Diatoms, the spores of sea weeds and other
vegetable matters, and a little later on of Copepoda and
other minute animals. Post-larval stages taken from
our pond in May were found when 5 mm. long to be
feeding on alga spores, and when 7 mm. on Copepoda.
The young post-larval plaice, when it begins to feed,
is about one month old, counting 18 days for hatching and
12 for the absorption of the yolk. Another month is
probably required, as a rule, for the transformation of this
bilaterally symmetrical little fish into the completely
metamorphosed unsymmetrical flat-fish, with both the eyes
on one surface (the right side) of the body, and with a
distribution of pigment which causes this upper side to be
dark-coloured and the lower light. Young plaice, with
the metamorphosis completed, have been found only a
little over half an inch in length (14 mm.) in June; but
they are usually about an inch long when they appear in
our sandy bays during the summer. In the post-larval
stages they lived at the surface, so during the period of
their transformation they must be making their way to
c
34 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
the bottom, and changing their mode of life from the
pelagic larval one, where the food is Copepoda and other
surface organisms, to that of the ground-living adult,
feeding on shellfish and worms.
When floating on the surface as eggs, in the
embryonic stages and as larve, they are the natural prey
of innumerable organisms around them, from medusz to _
fishes; and it cannot be doubted that the destruction must
be very great, especially in the younger stages. The
post-larval forms seem better able to avoid enemies and to
take care of themselves; while when the metamorphosis
has taken place, they are probably safe from many dangers
which threatened them in the earlier periods. Conse-
quently, protection in a hatchery must save a very large
proportion of the eggs and larve from what would
otherwise be their natural fate.
During the present hatching season we have set free
our plaice larve when between a week and a fortnight
after hatching, our object being to keep them as long as
possible so as to protect them from destruction in the sea,
but to let them out before the yolk-sac was all absorbed
and external food required.
No doubt it would be still better if we could safely
keep them longer, see them through the period of
metamorphosis, and set them free in our bays as young
flat-fish. That natural sequel to artificial hatching, viz.,
cearing the young fish in captivity, will no doubt come;
and we are now experimenting in the matter by allowing a
certain number of the larve to remain developing in
our spawning pond. It is satisfactory to find.
that these are passing through the post-larval
period, and are undergoing their metamorphosis.
Some have already been seen at the shallower
side of the pond as fully formed young flat-fish,
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 3D
over an inch in length. There seems to be abundance of
food, both animal and vegetable, in the water of the pond;
and Copepoda have been seen in the stomachs of the young
fish.
Finally, in setting free the hatched larve, we have
been careful to place them in the water well off the land,
in a tidal current running clear of the island, so that they
should be carried to regions where we find the naturally
hatched fish in similar stages, and from which they will
find their way gradually, after metamorphosis, into the
_ shore, and appear in due course as young plaice in the
shallow waters of our sandy bays.
Since the above was written the young plaice being
reared in the pond were seen from time to time throughout
the summer, generally lying on the bottom at the shallow
end, and darting away very actively when the water was
disturbed. At the end of September we decided to run
nearly all the water out of the pond and examine the
contents for the three-fold purpose of (1) seeing the
condition of the bottom; (2) of finding out the exact
number and state of our stock of adult fish; and (3) of
observing the size attained in a known period by these
young plaice. This interesting piece of work, which
occupied the greater part of a week, was undertaken
during the 26th to 30th of September, with the following
result :—
Out of 180 adult plaice which had been added to the
pond at various times since the previous autumn (1903),
168 were successfully transferred to the lower and larger
sea-water supply tank behind the Hatchery. The condition
of these fish was all that could be desired; they were
strong and well fed; many were very large. There was
_ evidence (bones) of the death of three fish in all, and five
others were found suffering from abrasions of the skin or
36 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
fins, and were not returned to the pond, but were put
temporarily in hospital tanks in the Aquarium. This
leaves four plaice still unaccounted for, but as the water
was not entirely drawn off from the deepest corner of the
pond these may well have been missed in the probing of
the sand at the bottom.
There were found to be very many of the young plaice
which had been hatched in the Institution last Easter,
from eggs spawned by the larger fish, and so have been
under artificial conditions—made as natural as possible —
during the whole of their existence. These young plaice,
four to five months old, varied from one to four inches in
length (the large variation in size is noteworthy), and
seemed active and well nourished. The great majority
were left as they were in the damp sand and shallow water.
From their habit of burrowing in the bottom as the water
retreated it was found to be practically impossible to
capture them in large numbers, so as to form even an
approximate estimate of their quantity. Some hundreds
were picked out for experiments in rearing in the small
wooden tanks lately fitted up in the verandah. ‘The
young plaice examined were found to be feeding mainty
on Copepoda.
In the pond there were also shown to be some
shrimps, a number of young Gadide (the “ Bib” and the
‘“ Poor Cod ’’), and a small shoal of young herring (white-
bait size). These must have passed through the pumps
from the sea, probably in a larval condition. The bottom
of the pond was found to be im a satisfactory condition,
and many invertebrates, such as Anemones, Ascidians,
Polyzoa, Serpulids, and other smaller things, in addition
to Alge, were growing on the stones and sidewalls —
showing that plenty of food was being naturally provided
tor the young fishes.
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 37
The pond was then re-filled, and the large plaice
successfully put back. Since that time our trammel nets
have brought the number up to over 200, and the
Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries steamer “ John
Fell’ has (through the courtesy of the Committee and of
the Superintendent, Dr. J. Travis Jenkins) been enabled
to spend a day trawling for us, with the result that 110
plaice have been added, making the total of our stock in
the pond now somewhere about 320*. From these fish we
hope to get abundance of spawn in the coming season.
A number of the young plaice, 4 to 5 months old, that
were kept in tanks have since been measured. Four
samples, caught by the laboratory boy, and taken as they
chanced to come, amounting to 80 fish in all, were of sizes
ranging from $-inch to 34-inches; only three of them were
over 3 inches, and the majority were between 14 and
2-inches. A very considerable proportion had a certain
amount of dark pigmentation on the lower surface. Out
of one batch of 47, 25 showed this ambi-colouration, and
only 22 were normal. |
Easter Crass For ScHooLt TEACHERS.
This subject has been referred to in former Reports,
and now that the new buildings afford the necessary
accommodation, the L.M.B.C. has, in consultation with
the Nature-Study Association of Teachers in Liverpool,
drawn up the following intimation which was circulated
last spring, and is now repeated with a few changes :—
SpecraL Ciass In Marine BioLtocy,or NaTuRE-STUpy,
FOR ScHoot TEACHERS, TO BE HELD AT PorRT
Erin, Istze oF Man, DURING THE EASTER
Ho.ipays, 1905.
The Liverpool Marine Biology Committee, in response
* Of these 118 have been caught at Port Erin during the Summer
in our trammel nets.
38 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
to a demand, is willing to make arrangements for a
special class in Elementary Marine Biology, ‘to illustrate
the principles of nature-study, and to be held at the Port
Erin Biological Station during the Easter holidays, 1905.
The Station is a new building situated on ‘the sea-shore,
and is admirably adapted in every respect for classes of
this description.
A large laboratory on the first floor, provided with
fourteen windows, will be set aside wholly for this purpose
during the time of the class. Hach member of the class
will oceupy a table or workplace opposite a window, and
will be provided with the necessary animals (or when
possible, and as is much better, will be shown how to
collect them himself), salt and fresh water, and all
materials and apparatus necessary for the work.
The course is necessarily restricted to the Haster
holidays, and will extend from a Saturday to a Saturday
in April, in the week that is found most convenient to
teachers. If, however, any are able and willing to stay
for a longer period, further arrangements can be made at
the time.
The class will be limited to twelve students, each of
whom will pay 5s. to the L.M.B.C. for the use of the
laboratory, and in addition a tuition fee of 5s. These fees
should be remitted to Mr. Chadwick before the opening
of the class. No definite time table of the class work can
be drawn up, and the time and nature of the work will
depend largely on the tides, weather, &c. Speaking
generally, however, the class will spend the morning in
the laboratory, examining animals in the living condition,
and making simple biological experiments thereon. In
the afternoons collecting excursions, with the object of
studying the animals in their natural surroundings, and
also expeditions for collecting and dredging from boats,
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 39
will be organised and led by members of the L.M.B.C.
At other times short addresses and demonstrations in the
aquarium and museum will be given by Prof. Herdman,
and possibly others. No previous knowledge will be
supposed. The class work will be directed by Mr. F.
J. Cole, Lecturer and Demonstrator of Zoology, University
of Liverpool.
Fig.-11. Plankton or Surface-life of the Sea at Port Erin.
The Treasurer of the L.M.B.C. wishes to point out
that, as the charge is at about one half the usual rate for
accommodation, it must be regarded as a special charge for
this occasion, and for a class of not less than ten or twelve,
and will not apply to single students or at other times.
40 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Each member of the class must come provided with a
large drawing-book, pencils and india-rubber and a duster >
or small towel. All further apparatus, as follows—
enamelled dissecting dishes, with wax at the bottom,
several crystallising dishes and watch glasses, microscope
slides and cover-glasses, dipping tubes, some simple dis-
secting instruments, a magnifying hand lens, occasional
microscopes, and collecting jars, will be lent, without
charge, by the L.M.B.C., to the students.
If the student wishes to take away any animals for
examination at home, bottles, tubes and methylated spirit
and other preservatives can be bought from the Station
stock on application to the Curator. |
Any further details may be arranged and questions
asked, before the class commences, by correspondence
with Mr. F. J. Cole, University of Liverpool.
L.M.B.C. Memorrs.
The two Memoirs announced in last Report, viz.,
No. XI., Arentcoxa, the fisherman’s lob-worm, by Dr. J.
H. Ashworth; and No. XII., Gammarus, one of the sand-
hoppers, by Miss M. Cussans, have been published during
the summer. Both are illustrated by fine plates, some of
which are coloured.
The Memoirs on Myxine, by Mr. Cole, and on
ANTEDON, by Mr. Chadwick, are both far advanced, and
may be looked for during the coming year. The complete
list of the Memoirs published and in contemplation is now
as follows :—
Memoir I. Ascrpra, W. A. Herdman, 60 pp., 5 Pls., 2s.
II. Carpium, J. Johnstone, 92 pp., 7 Pls., 2s. 6d.
III. Ecuinvs, H. C. Chadwick, 36 pp., 5 Pls., 2s.
IV. Coprum, R. J. H. Gibson and Helen Auld,
26 pp., 3 Pls., Is. 6d.
bed
3)
BP ]
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 41
Memoir V. Aucyonivum, 8S. J. Hickson, 30 pp., 3 Pls., 1s. 6d.
VI.
Delt.
LEPEOPHTHEIRUS AND LERN@mA, Andrew Scott,
62 pp., o Pls., 2s.
. Linevs, R. C. Punnett, 40 pp., 4 Pls., 2s.
Puaice, F. J. Cole and J. Johnstone, 260 pp.,
G1 Pis:. is:
Cuonprvs, O. V. Darbishire, 50 pp., 7 Pls.,
2s. 6d.
PATEELA, J. RK. A. Davis and H. J. Fleure,
84 pp., 4 Pls., 2s. 6d.
. ARENICOLA, J. H. Ashworth, 126 pp., 8 Pls
As. 6d.
Gammarus, M. Cussans, 55 pp., 4 Pls., 2s.
Myxing, F. J. Cole.
Antepon, H. C. Chadwick.
Buccinum, W. B. Randles.
Bueuua, Laura R. Thornely.
Oyster, W. A. Herdman and J. T. Jenkins.
OstracoD (CyTHERE), Andrew Scott.
Portunus, J. Pearson and W. Tattersall.
Cyctoporus, F. F. Laidlaw.
Denpronotus, J. A. Clubb.
Anvuripa, A. D. Imms.
Peripinians, G. Murray and F. G. Whitting.
ZostEerA, R. J. Harvey Gibson.
Himantwatia, C. E. Jones.
Diatoms, F. E. Weiss.
Fucus, J. B. Farmer.
BotryLuorpEs, W. A. Herdman.
CurtLe-FisH (ELEponE), W. HE. Hoyle.
Actinis, J. A. Clubb.
Hyproip, E. T. Browne.
CALCAREOUS SPONGE, R. Hanitsch.
In addition to these, other Memoirs will be arranged
42 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
for, on suitable types, such as Sagztta (by Mr. Cole), a
Cestode (by Mr. Shipley), an Isopod (by Mr. C. G. Hewitt),
and a Pycnogonid.
As to our other L.M.B.C. publications, a sixth volume
of the “‘ Fauna” will soon be issued. Copies of most of
the Annual Reports can still be had. Many of them
have some special Appendix or characteristic feature in
addition to the routine work of the year. For example,
No. 6 (1893) has the account of the opening, by Sir Spencer
Walpole, of the old Biological Station, No. 15 (1899) has
Notes on the Plankton of Port Erin, No. 14 (1900) gives
faunistic charts and lists of the bay and the neighbour-
hood, No. 15 (1901) has as an Appendix the illustrated
“Guide to the Aquarium,” No. 16 (1902) contains the
description and figures of the new Biological Station,
while in our last Report (No. 17) there appeared the
portrait and Memoir of our late Hon. Treasurer, Mr.
Isaac C. Thompson, F.L.S.
The copies of the ‘ Guide to the Aquarium,” which
are on sale at the Biological Station, will probably be
exhausted this season. An enlarged second edition, with
additional matter and some new illustrations, is now in
preparation.
We append to this Report :—
A—The Curator’s Report to the Committee.
B—The Constitution of the L.M.B.C., and the Laboratory
Regulations.
C—The Acting Hon. Treasurer’s Statement (which will be
found at p. 52), with the usual List of Subscrip-
tions and Balance Sheet.
D—lIllustrated Notes on Manks Antiquities, by P. M. C.
Kermode and W. A. Herdman.
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 43
APPENDIX A.
CuRATOR’S REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE.
The work of the past year has been marked by a
substantial increase in the number of University Students
who have visited the Station for the purpose of study and
research, and by the successful inauguration of fish hatch-
ing. Owing to the large demands made upon my time
by the hatchery work, I was unable to conduct the Easter
Class for School Teachers, but my place was ably filled by
Mr. F. J. Cole, and the class was quite successful, in spite
of the small number of students in attendance. Our
laboratory accommodation was somewhat severely taxed
during the month of April, which included the Easter
vacation, but no serious inconvenience was experienced
either by workers or staff.
The hatching season was practically over by the end
of the first week in May, by which time large numbers of
plaice larve were seen swimming actively at or near the
surface in the spawning pond. On May 20th some of
these larvee were examined under the microscope by Prof.
Herdman, and their stomachs were seen to contain
Copepoda. By the middle of June many had passed
through their metamorphosis, and had made their way to
the bottom of the pond, and when the pond was emptied
during the last week in September they were found to
have attained an average length of 14 to 2 inches, while
some few reached 4 inches. A number of berried lobsters
were acquired during the winter months and kept in the
large concrete tank, with their eggs intact, until a few
weeks before the beginning of the lobster hatching season,
when, as has been the case elsewhere, all the eggs dis-
44 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
appeared, whether eaten by the adult lobsters or simply
shed could not be ascertained. However, a few more
berried females, with nearly ripe eggs, were brought in
by fishermen, and from these 5,000 larvee were successfully
hatched out. In spite of the exercise of every care num-
bers died during the shell-casting periods, and very few
survived to attain the “ lobsterling
of note that the female spiny lobster, Palinurus vulgaris,
stage. It is worthy
destroys her eggs in captivity. The specimens in our
Aquarium tanks are frequently seen to comb the bunches
of eggs with the claws of the last pair of thoracic
appendages, and finally all the eggs disappear.
With a view of adding to our stock of adult plaice for
spawning purposes, and making the collection of fishes in
the Aquarium tanks more representative, a trammel net,
20 fathoms long, was purchased in July, and has been used
on almost every suitable day since. ‘The result was so
satisfactory that a second net, 30 fathoms long, was pur-
chased in September. In addition to 118 plaice, many of
which ranged from 16 to 22 inches in length, various other
fish have been caught, including dog-fish, thornback ray,
cod, pollack, coal-fish, gurnard, mackerel, conger, angler,
wrasse, sole, lemon sole, and dab. The nets have not
only added materially to our stock of fish, but have
afforded a useful and interesting indication of the species
frequenting the bay and neighbourhood during the time
they have been in use. In this connection it may be
mentioned that a mackerel was caught on November Ist,
a late date for this fish in this part of the Irish Sea.
During the first fortnight in August enormous num-
bers of young herrings, from 2 to 3 inches in length, were
left stranded by almost every receding tide on the Manx
coast. It was found that they were being pursued and
eaten by the shoals of pollack, coal-fish, and mackerel
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 45
which always frequent the coast at that time of the year,
and so eager and relentless was the pursuit that many of
these fish were caught in quite shallow water in Port Erin
Bay. The stomach of a pollack caught in the trammel
net was found gorged with young herrings.
Tow nettings have been taken at intervals throughout
the year. Whenever possible the organisms were
examined alive immediately after capture, but the more
detailed examination, especially of the Copepoda, has this
year been undertaken by Mr. A. Scott, who will submit an
independent report.
Faunistic work was carried on by most of the Univer-
sity Students, several of whom will contribute notes on
points of special interest. Additions continue to be made,
by purchase and donation, to the stock of books and
reprints in the Library; but such valuable publications as
the Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science and the
Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society and many
foreign journals are still a much felt want. |
The Station has been visited during the year by his
Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Man,
Lord Raglan, who has shown his interest in the work of
the Institution by repeated visits; also by Sir J. West
Ridgeway, formerly Governor of the island, and Sir Alan
Perry, by the Speaker of the House of Keys, the Mayor
and Corporation of Douglas, the Town Commissioners of
Peel, Ramsey, and Castletown, and by the Isle of Man
Fishery Board, by Professor and Mrs. Lyman Clark, of
Michigan, U.S.A., the Lord Bishop of Liverpool and Mrs.
Chavasse, Dr. Gustav Hisen, of San Francisco, Mr. Edgar
Thurston, of Madras, and Masters and Boys from King
William’s College. Lastly, the Isle of Man Natural
History and Antiquarian Society held one of their
ordinary meetings, under the presidency of Lord Raglan,
46 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
in the Lecture Room of the Biological Station on Septem-
ber 15th, when Prof. Herdman delivered an address on
“ Pearl Oysters and the formation of Pearls.” During
the Easter vacation Dr. and Mrs. Bailey, of Port Erin,
repeated their kind invitation of last year to all our
workers, and a most enjoyable evening was spent in
examining Dr. Bailey’s collection of Manx Beetles.
Port Erin, Nov., 1904. H. C. CHapwicx.
1 Orchestia littorea 2 Corophium grossipes
3 Caprella linearis
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 47
APPENDIX B.
THE LIVERPOOL MARINE BIOLOGY
COMMITTEE (1904).
His ExcetLency THE Ricutr Hon. Lorp Racuan, Lieut.-
Governor of the Isle of Man.
Mr. R. D. Darsisutieer, B.A., F.G.S., Manchester.
Pror. R. J. Harvey Grsson, M.A., F.L.S., Liverpool.
Mr. W. J. Hats, Liverpool. |
Pror. W. A. Herpman, D.Sc., F.R.S., F.L.8., Liverpool,
Chairman of the L.M.B.C., and Hon. Director of the
Biological Station.
Dr. W. E. Hoye, M.A., University, Manchester.
Mr. P. M. C. Kermopve, Ramsey, Isle-of-Man.
Mr. A. Leicester, Liverpool.
Siz Cuaryes Perris, Liverpool.
Dr. Isaac Roperts, F'.R.S. (the late).
Me. A. O. Watker, F.L.S., J.P., formerly of Chester.
Mr. Arnotp T. Watson, F.L.S., Sheffield.
Curator of the Station—Mr. H. C. CHapwick.
Assistant—Mr. T. N. CreGeEen.
eer
CONSTITUTION OF THE L.M.B.C.
(Established March, 1885.)
I.—The Ossecr of the L.M.B.C. is to investigate the
Marine Fauna and Flora (and any related subjects such
as submarine geology and the physical condition of the
water) of Liverpool Bay and the neighbouring parts of
the Irish Sea and, if practicable, to establish and maintain
a Biological Station on some convenient part of the coast.
48 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
I1—The Committee shall consist of not more than 12
and not less than 10 members, of whom 8 shall form a
quorum; and a meeting shall be called at least once a
year for the purpose of arranging the Annual Report,
passing the Treasurer’s accounts, and transacting any other
necessary business. _
I1]—During the year the Arrairs of the Committee
shall be conducted by an Hon. Director, who shall be
Chairman of the Committee, and an Hon. Treasurer,
both of whom shall be appointed at the Annual Meeting,
and shall be eligible for re-election.
TV¥.—Any Vacancies on the Committee, caused by
death or resignation, shall be filled by the election at
the Annual Meeting, of those who, by their work on the
Marine Biology of the district, or by their sympathy with
science, seem best fitted to help in advancing the work of
the Committee.
V.—The Expensss of the investigations, of the publi-
cation of results, and of the maintenance of the Biological
Station shall be defrayed by the Committee, who, for this
purpose, shall ask for subscriptions or donations from the
public, and for grants from scientific funds.
VI.—The Broutoeican Station shall be used primarily
for the Exploring work of the Committee, and the
Specimens collected shall, so far as is necessary, be
placed in the first instance at the disposal of the members
of the Committee and other specialists who are reporting
upon groups of organisms: work places in the Biological
Station may, however, be rented by the week, month, or
year to students and others, and duplicate specimens
which, in the opinion of the Committee, can be spared
may be sold to museums and laboratories.
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 49
LIVERPOOL MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION
AT
PORT ERIN.
——— ae,
LABORATORY REGULATIONS.
I.—This Biological Station is under the control of the
Liverpool Marine Biological Committee, the executive of
which consists of the Hon. Director (Prof. Herdman,
F.R.S.) and the Hon. Treasurer.
TI.—In the absence of the Director, and of all other
members of the Committee, the Station is under the
temporary control of the Resident Curator (Mr. H. C.
Chadwick), who will keep the keys, and will decide, in the
event of any difficulty, which places are to be occupied by
workers, and how the tanks, boats, collecting apparatus,
&c., are to be employed. .
Iii.—The Resident Curator will be ready at all
reasonable hours and within reasonable limits to give
assistance to workers at the Station, and to do his best
to supply them with material for their investigations.
TV.—Visitors will be admitted, on payment of a small
specified charge, at fixed hours, to see the Aquarium and
Museum adjoining the Station. Occasional public lectures
are given in the Institution by members of the Committee.
V.—Those who are entitled to work in the Station,
when there is room, and after formal application to the
Director, are:—(1) Annual Subscribers of one guinea or
upwards to the funds (each guinea subscribed entitling to
the use of a work place for three weeks), and (2) others
who are not annual subscribers, but who pay the Treasurer
D
50 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
10s.. per week for the accommodation and privileges.
Institutions, such as Colleges and Museums, may become
subscribers in order that a work place may be at the
disposal of their students or staff for a certain period
annually; a subscription of two guineas will secure a work
place for six weeks in the year, a subscription of five
guineas for four months, and a subscription of £10 for the
whole year.
VI.—Each worker is entitled to a work place opposite
a window in the Laboratory, and may make use of the
microscopes, reagents, and other apparatus, and of the
boats, dredges, tow-nets, &c., so far as is compatible with
the claims of other workers, and with the routine work of
the Station.
VII.—Each worker will be allowed to use one pint of
methylated spirit per week free. Any further amount
required must be paid for. All dishes, jars, bottles, tubes,
and other glass may be used freely, but must not be
taken away from the Laboratory. Workers desirous of
making, preserving, or taking away collections of marine
animals and plants, can make special arrangements
with the Director or Treasurer in regard to bottles and
preservatives. Although workers in the Station are free
to make their own collections at Port Erin, it must be
clearly understood that (as in other Biological Stations)
no specimens must be taken for such purposes from the
Laboratory stock, nor from the Aquarium tanks, nor from
the steam-boat dredging expeditions, as these specimens
are the property of the Committee. The specimens in
the Laboratory stock are preserved for sale, the animals
in the tanks are for the instruction of visitors to the
Aquarium, and as all the expenses of steam-boat dredging
expeditions are defrayed by the Committee, the specimens
obtained on these occasions must be retained by the
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 51
Committee (a) for the use of the specialists working at
the Fauna of Liverpool Bay, (6) to replenish the tanks,
and (c) to add to the stock of duplicate animals for sale
from the Laboratory.
VIII.—Each worker at the Station is expected to lay
a paper on some of his results—or at least a short report
upon his work—before the Biological Society of Liverpool
during the current or the following session.
TX.—AII subscriptions, payments, and other commu-
nications relating to finance, should be sent to the Hon.
Treasurer. Applications for permission to work at the
Station, or for specimens, or anv communications in
regard to the scientific work should be made to Professor
Herdman, F'.R.8., University, Liverpool.
AN), Phi ipsa]
Ph Helv 7¥ Vel 120
ayant
F QW SS
Wass
PV --
i
Mollusca, from Port Erin.
5, TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
APPENDIX C.
HON. TREASURER’S STATEMENT.
As usual, the Hat of subscribers and the balance
sheet are appended, the latter showing a small balance
in favour of the Committee. The Report of the
Director clearly indicates the necessity there is for
increased support by annual subscriptions or special
donations, now that the commodious, but more expensive,
new Biological Station is in full occupation, and that
further fields of useful work are opening up before the
Committee.
Professor Herdman reports that no further donations
have been made during the year to the special fund for
publishing the Marine Biological Memoirs. Several
excellent Memoirs are nearly ready for publication, and
contributions for this object will be gladly received by
Professor Herdman.
The library for the use of students and workers at
the Port Erin Station is urgently in want of many
standard Biological works. Further donations towards
the library, either in books or money, will be most
welcome.
The Treasurer will gladly receive the names of new
subscribers with the view of continuing the publications
on the local Fauna and on typical British marine animals
and plants, and of aiding to defray the increased working
expenses at the new Biological Station, and of thus
further adding materially to the work already achieved
under the auspices of the L.M.B.C. since its foundation.
nineteen years ago.
Enwin THOMPSON,
53, Croxteth Road, Acting Hon. Treasurer.
Liverpool, December, 1904.
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN.
SUBSCRIBERS.
Beaumont, W. I. ere Hill, Plymouth
Bickersteth, Dr., 2, Rodney-street..
Brown, Prof. J. San tee is Bre eeoals
Browne, Edward T., B.A., 141, Uxbridge-
road, Shepherd’s Bush, London
Boyce, Prof., University, Liverpool
Brunner, Mond & Co., Northwich..
Brunner, Sir J. T., Bart., M.P. esicok
Clague, Thomas, care Hotel, Port Hrin
Clubb, J. A., Public Museums, Liverpool...
Crellin, John C., J.P., Andreas, I. of Man...
Crosfield, Harold G., Fulwood Park, Liverpool ...
Dale, Principal, University, Liverpool
Wizen-Nunvall . R., J.P., .R.M.S., Preseot
Gair, H. W., Smithdown-rd., Wavertree
Gamble, Sir David, C.B., St. Helens
Gaskell, Holbrook, J.P., Woolton Wood...
Gossage, Fred. H., Camp Hill, Woolton ...
Halls, W. J., 35, Lord-street
Headley, F. W., Haileybury College, Heniord Rs
Herdman, Prof., University, Liverpool
Hewitt, David B., J.P., Northwich
Holland, Walter, Gap ee Hall, Mossley Hill
Holt, Alfred, Crofton, Aigburth
Holt, Mrs., Sudley, Mossley Hill ...
Holt, P. H., Croxteth-gate, Sefton-park ...
Holt, R. D., 54, Ullet-road, Liverpool
Hoyle, Dr. W. E., Museum, Owen’s College
Isle of Man Natural History Society
Jarmay, Gustav, Hartford, Cheshire
Jones, Charles W., J.P., Allerton Beeches
Forward
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BRE REE NYOrF DONO NOY NYOKF KF oF NYO NNHKF KF OOrKFR & HH HB
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54 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Forward .
Lea, Rev. T. Simcox, Leek a Kinky
Lonsdale
Leicester, Alfred, Scott Dale: nae hee y
Lewis, Dr. W. B., W. Riding Asylum, Wakefield..
Manchester Microscopical Society...
Meade-King, R. R., 4, Oldhall-street
Melly, W. R., 90, Chatham-street ...
Monks, F. W., Warrington...
Muspratt, E. K,, Seaforth Hall ge
Okell, R., B.A. F. L.S8., Sutton, Douglas, I. of nie
cae Prof, University, Liverpool
Petrie, Sir Charles, Devonshire-road
Pilkington, J. A., Bank House, Maghull ...
Rathbone, Mrs. Theo., Backwood, Neston...
Rathbone, Miss May, Backwood, Neston...
Rathbone, W., the late, Greenbank, Allerton
Roberts, Dr. Isaac, the late, F.R.S., Crowborough,
Sussex Ty one
Rae, Edward, Courthill, pivcouneen
Simpson, J. Hope, Aigburth-drive. .
Smith, A. T., 43, Castle-street ve
Sorby, Dr. H. C., F.B.S., Broomfield, Sheflield we
Talbot, Rev. T., Douglas, Isle of Man
Thornely, The Misses, Aigburth-Hall-rd....
Timmis, T. Sutton, Cleveley, Allerton
Toll, J. M,, 49, Newsham Drive, Liverpool
Walker, Alfred O., Uleombe Place, Maidstone
Walker, Horace, South Lodge, Princes-pk....
Walker, W. H. & Co., Douglas
Watson, A. T., Tapton-crescent, Sheffield.
Weiss, Prof. F. E., Owens College, Manchestatl
Wiglesworth, Dr., Rainhill..
Yates, Harry, 75, shade. hill, ‘Manohleatene
Yates, Peter P., Grand Hotel, Douglas
£ s. d.
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MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 5
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Victoria University, Manchester ... Las ror we SrOk YON a
University, Liverpool a: ae a4) nS 1 0 0
Birmingham University... me Be os LORSO = 6
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ILLUSTRATED NOTES
ON
MANKS
ANTIQUITIES
-P.M.C. KERMODE « W. A. HERDMAN
F.S.A., Scot. IDSC. cites
LIVERPOOL
1904
[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.]
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MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 59
PREFACE.
Own a prominent shoulder of the Meayll Hill, overlooking
Port Erin Bay and facing Bradda Head, stands one of the
most remarkable monuments of antiquity—a circle of
stone cists of late Neolithic or early Bronze age, so curious
in the arrangement of its parts that it appears to be unique
in the British Islands, and is probably only paralleled, but
scarcely equalled, by certain burial mounds in Scandinavia.
Some twelve years ago, recognising the important
nature of this relic of prehistoric times, and struck with
the incorrectness or inadequacy of the brief references
made to it in archeological works, we devoted some time
and trouble to a systematic examination of ‘the site, and
published a pamphlet, in December, 1893, giving an
account of our excavations, with illustrative plates.
cs
<<
Le
ina)
/ ARBOR Y.
2 PortS. MARY
3 Port S. MARY
4. ARBORY.
DOVAIDONAMA
_ CUN AMAGL
aia.
Fig. 27. Ogam inscriptions. Diagram by P. M.C. K. Seale ;.th.
thick. They are generally ‘rectangular, sometimes
having the upper corners rounded off, and sometimes the
whole head in what has been called a wheel+cross.
Occasionally the spaces between the limbs and the sur-
rounding circle are Sate and, in a very few Deanne
the slab is itself cruciform.”
* Catalogue of Manks Crosses, P. M,'C. Kermode, 2nd Ed., p. 4.
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 125
Of the inscrip-
tions, a few are in
“Ogams’’—charac-
ters forming an
artificial alphabet,
invented possibly
by Irish scholars,
who had become
acquainted with the
Roman inscriptions
in Wales. Two of
these have been
found at Bemaken
Friary, Arbory,and
two in the burial
ground of an early
keeil at Balla-
queeney, Rushen.
In language and
character’ they
exactly resemble
Trish inscriptions
of about the fifth
century (see fig. 27).
One or two are
‘in debased Roman,
or Harly British
characters and
Latin language of
the sixth, seventh,
or eighth centuries.
The most interest-
ing of these is a
small slab found at
z eee :
IG. 28. Inscribed stone from Maughold.
1
126 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Maughold, by Mr. P. M. C. Kermode, in 1901, and
figured and described in “The Reliquary and [Ilus-
trated Archeologist,’* July, 1902. Around a circle
enclosing a Hexafoil design is the following inscription, of
which, unfortunately, the beginning is broken off :—-
NEITSPLI EPPS DE INSVL. It is here met by some
characters running in the opposite direction, of which one
can make out the letters—srat. Below the circle are two
small crosses (of the very rare form met with at Kirk
Madrine, Wigtown) down by the sides of which runs the
following unique formula : —
| FECI] IN XRI HOMIHE
CRVCIS XRI IMAGEHEM.
With two exceptions the H form stands for N (fig. 28).
This is probably earher than the 8th century.
Another cross, formerly on a hedge at Port-y-Vullen,
Maughold, but now in the churchyard, bears across the
edge the simple inscription, Crua Gurzat, a name met with
in North Wales in the 9th century. The upper part of
our figure 29 shows the inscription from-a rubbing, one-
fourth actual size.
The greater number of these inscriptions are, however,
n ‘‘ Runes,” the peculiar characters developed three or
four centuries before the Christian era by the Goths, who
came in contact with the Greek colonists from the Black
Sea trading foramber. ‘These characters underwent great
changes in the course of centuries, and are classed
according to their period as Gothic, Anglian, and Seandi-
navian. A solitary example of the Anglian runes of about
the eighth century has recently been found at Maughold.
Only eight characters now remain, a twelfth part of the
* We are much indebted to the courtesy of the publishers of that
iaeaa for the kind loan of some of the blocks wie illustrated
Mr. Kermode’s paper.
127
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN.
jo soydutexo [void y,
JIB OATYVLOOOP O14TOD
“poroysoar ‘UBOUOD 9B Sossoag
O&
OL
‘VDUNE) LN *proysney,
G
ULOIF SSO poqixosuT
6
ITH
“Ola
128 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
iscription, if, as seems likely, it was continued round the
circle. They are perfectly legible, reading—BLAGc-MAN.
The stroke between the C and M may be accidental, or it
may be a punctuation sien. If forming one word,
this would make a known Anglo-Saxon name. ‘The
rest of the Manks inscriptions are in the later Scandinavian
runes of the tenth to the thirteenth century.
Fic. 31. Cross from Calf of Man.
The earlier pieces are of unhewn stone, and bear on
one or both faces incised crosses of different forms (fig.
24). Later, we find the crosses sculptured in relief, and
the stones more or less elaborately decorated, “a regular
development may be observed from the most simple plait
and twist to the most complex and beautiful geometric
designs, and then from the geometric to the zoomorphic
129
Malew.
eurd
1
33.
Fig
uv
Jurby.
urd.
1g
Tew S2..
131
Michael
s).
’s Cro
rm
-sveler (G
e
Hra
Fig
132
IG, 36. Heimdall. Jurby.
ic Cross.
hold
Celt
aug
38
irk M
K
Fic
2
’s Monument
ghold.
Bishop
irk Mau
HT
K
37
Fig.
i
134
and edge.
front
Roolwer Cross,
39
ae
C
Fi
back and edge
?
1) Cross
Roolwe
MiG, 240);
‘ppoysnurvyy ul vusod Utoazy uoTydiaosuyT o1unyy "TP OT
Ses Wwae
pat: eis
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 137
(figs. 29 and 30). A striking feature is the realistic and
admirably drawn forms of birds and beasts of the chase
and of men, though the latter are not generally a success,
and occasionally of the human form with heads of birds or
with wings.’* Some of the designs, as well as the general
decorative treatment, are peculiar to the Isle of Man, and
all exhibit true artistic feeling, and most of them skill in
execution. A few of the older Celtic pieces exhibit
Scripture scenes:—The Temptation of Adam and Eve
(Bride), Daniel in the Lions’ Den (Braddan), The
Virgin and Child (Maughold), and the unique Crucifixion
from the Calf of Man, an example of pure Byzan-
tine art (fig. 31). It is also of peculiar interest to note
the work of the first Scandinavian Christian sculptors,
following the earlier Celtic models with great freedom and
evolving effective designs from the most simple motives.
Finally, we find on later pieces illustrations from the old
Norse Myths (figs. 32 to 36)—a series illustrating the story of
Sigurd Fafni’s-Bane, and figures of the gods Odin, Thor,
and Heimdall, and of giants, dwarfs, and monsters. . 60,000
pee) =. 70,000
Eeprteme bk *... 80,000
2 dee (0,000
* ae 10,000
eee. 70,000
meee 2. 60,000
eeetow-.. 60,000
Peo... (0,000
pee 0)... ‘60;000
meee)... 00,000
foe ee. 60,000
eee. ~40,000
pee. 00,000
May = 2 ... 45,000
. Oo ... 49,000
4 i... 40,000
Total Eggs 1,250,000
PLAICE.
Fry Set Free.
i o00 >. | Marek
AGT) soe ss
a O00Cl es eApril
30,000" =.. e
OOOO 7 -
48,500... by
OZ 0008s: 5
GZ0005. = x
KOSO00s =e Ae
66-000 = hs
HO. DOO” ee °
6270007 say 5,
07,000 ... May
5151010), ee “
62,000 ... ¥
57,000... -
44,000... 7
2, OOU a: i
40,000...
44,000... x,
40,000... .
40,000... ¥
od,0008 i. s
1,102,500 Total Fry
LL
192
TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Mareh 9
14
9? Al
21
» 29d
Soa 26
28
30
FLOUNDER.
Eggs Collected.
170,000
180,000
200,000
390,000
500,000
400,000
990,000
600,000
800,000
890,000
850,000
800,000
900,000
850,000
800,000
750,000
700,000
800,000
850,000
750,000
650,000
400,000
300,000
Total Eggs 14,000,000
‘otal Number of Eggs
Total Number of Fry
12,426,500
Fry Set Free.
150,000
159,000
177,000
310,000
445,000
305,000
487,000
532,000
712,000
753,000
703,000
712,000
800,000
753,000
712,500
664,000
622,000
712,000
753,000
664,500
578,000
355,000
266,500
... March 31
99
... April
Total Fry.
15,250,000
13,529,000
99
9
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 198
CLASSES, VISITORS, AND EQUIPMENT AT
Toh PIEL LABORATORY.
Bye A Scorn.
The Education Committee of the Lancashire County
Council voted a sum of money ‘sufficient for forty-five
studentships fer bond fide fishermen residing in the
administrative County of Lancaster, to be held at Piel, in
the spring of 1904. Applications for these studentships
were invited early in February. By the middle of March
about 130 names had been sent to the Superintendent’s
Office, or to Piel. The same number of studentships were
offered in 1905, and for these 62 applications were received.
It is evident, therefore, that a very keen interest is now
being taken in these classes.
The forty-five studentship holders were divided into
three classes of fifteen men to each, as shown in the
following lists :—
Class held February 29th to March 11th.—John
Robinson, Flookburgh; William Wright, Flookburgh ;
William Wright (Pepper), Fleetwood; John Cassidy,
Fleetwood; W. HH. Leadbetter, Fleetwood; Richard
Hadwin, Morecambe; John Gardner, Morecambe; James
Swain, Morecambe; Harry Parr, Blackpool; Thomas
- Bamber, Blackpool; Richard Ball, Banks; Lawrence
Brookfield, Banks; Richard Wright, Marshside; Robert
Wright (Pen), Marshside; Robert Wright (Dubby),
Marshside.
Class held April 11th to 22nd—William Hulton,
‘Flookburgh ; Jonathan Benson, Flookburgh ; John Wood-
house, Morecambe; Fred. Bond, Morecambe; John
Cocking, Morecambe; Peter Ball, Senr., Fleetwood;
Nicholas Wright, Fleetwood; Moses Wilson, Fleetwood ;
J. R. Parr, Blackpool; John Parkinson, Lytham; W.
194 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Henry Bonny, Lytham; John Abram, Banks; Ruben
Robinson, Marshside; John Ball, Marshside; Charles
Rigby, Southport.
Class held April 25th to May 6th.—Jas. Edmondson,
Roosebeck; Thomas Butler, Baicliff; Jonathan Porter,
Ulverston; Thomas Gardner, Ulverston; Joseph Hadwin,
Morecambe; Richard Bond, Morecambe; Wilham Swain,
Morecambe; Lawrence Wilson, Fleetwood; Thomas
Henry Thomason, Fleetwood; Thomas Whiteside,
Lytham; Edward Bonny, Lytham; James Johnson,
Banks; John Lloyd, Marshside; Richard Ball, South-
port; James Caldwell, Southport.
In addition to the classes for Lancashire fishermen,
there was also one for the men from Hoylake. The
Cheshire County Council made the necessary arrange- .
ments through Mr. A. T. Wright, the Chairman of the
Finance Committee, and voted money for twelve student-
ships. This extra class was held March 14th to 25th.
The whole of the men were from deep-sea fishing boats.
The following are their names:—-William Bird, Joseph
Kecles, Thomas Eccles, Arthur Cooper, George Dean,
W. G. Evans, William Jones, Joseph Jones, George
Howsley, Thomas Hughes, W. H. Sherlock, Llewelyn
Smith.
A class in Nature Study for School Teachers was held
on two week nights and the Saturday afternoons during the
last two weeks of April and first week of May. This class
was attended by seventeen Head Masters, Head Mistresses
and assistants from the schools under the Barrow Educa-
tion Committee.
The course of study in the Fishermen’s classes and
the Teachers’ class was practically the same as in 1908,
and was conducted by Mr. J. Johnstone. At the conclu-
sion of each class the usual vote of thanks to the Educa-
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 195
tion Committee of the County Council and the Sea
Fisheries Committee was passed.
A few of the Barrow School Teachers who attended
the Nature Study courses, and others interested in Marine
Zoology, have formed a Marine section in connection with
the Barrow Naturalists’ Field Club and Literary and
Scientific Association, and meet occasionally at Piel.
Representatives from the Lancashire County Council,
under the leadership of Mr. James Fletcher, visited the
establishment during the second Fishermen’s class. The
third class was visited by the members of a number of the
Lancashire Local Educational Committees, also under the
leadership of Mr. Fletcher. The members of the Rams-
bottom Urban District Council, under the leadership of
their representative on the Committee (Mr. James Ash-
worth), the St. James’ Rambling Club, and the Wesleyan
Guild, Barrow, also visited the establishment during the
summer. A large number of ordinary visitors have been
shown through the Laboratory and tankhouse.
Some important improvements have been made in the
Laboratory. These include three new permanent work-
tables, with teakwood tops, for the Fishermen’s classes.
The tables have gas laid on, which was found to be a great
advantage in the dark afternoons during the spring and
for the Nature Study class in the evenings. An apparatus
cupboard, for holding the microscopes, &c., used in the
classes; a Hearson incubator, hot-air oven, steam
steriliser, and other utensils for Bacteriological work have
also been added to the Laboratory equipment.
196 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
ON THE TOW-NETTINGS COLLECTED
IN THE IRISH SHA
By A. Scam
This report deals with the tow-nettings made when
the steamer was carrying out various observations in the
territorial area under the administration of the Joint
Committee, and also when visiting the off-shore fishing
grounds between Lancashire and Isle of Man. In addition
to the collections taken by the steamer, a fairly regular
series of surface gatherings have been made by Mr.
Chadwick, at the Biological Station, Port Erin, and are
included in the report.
The majority of the collections made by the steamer
are from inside the territorial waters, and are fairly repre-
sentative of the conditions of pelagic life along the whole
coast Tine of the district. Those from the off-shore fishing
grounds are naturally less numerous than the in-shore
ones. ‘They were obtained on the few occasions when the
steamer was engaged on special work outside the district.
The tow-nettings from Port Krin were all taken in
the Bay, in the vicinity of the Biological Station. Port
Erin Bay, from its position in the centre of the Irish Sea,
presents more uniform conditions than the in-shore waters
of the mainland. Its salinity is not interfered with, as is
often the case of the Ribble and Mersey estuaries, by the
outward flow of large volumes of fresh water. There is
also less likelihood of the water being contaminated by
the deposit of land débris.
An accurate knowledge of the distribution of pelagic
or other organisms can only be obtained when observations
are carried out with fair regularity over a wide area. It
is well known that animals and plants though pre-
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 197
vailing in abundance in one area, may be very scarce, or
altogether absent, in another. Their habit being strictly
limited to particular regions, even in such a comparatively
small area as the Irish Sea. To give one example. The
protozoan, Noctiluca miliaris, is found year after year,
sometimes in enormous numbers, especially during the
summer months, in the in-shore waters along the Lanca-
shire and North Wales Coasts. In some years it extends
as far out as the Morecambe Bay and the Liverpool North-
west Lightships. Notwithstanding this abundance in the
in-shore waters, the organisms does not appear to reach
Port Erin, nor can we find any record of its occurrence in
the Clyde.
It has been found convenient in the present report to
group the in-shore collections made by the steamer into a
number of sections. Hach section represents a definite
portion of the territorial waters. The gatherings made on
the off-shore fishing grounds are classed under stations
I., IJ. and III. I. and II. are the stations shown on the
sketch chart of the district prepared by the late Mr.
Dawson; III. is marked by the position of the Liverpool
North-west Lightship. The Port Erin tow-nettings form
a group by themselves.
Section I.—Buiackrpoot CLosED GROUND.
Characteristic Organisms.
February .. Sagztta, Copepoda and Copepod nauplii.
April ... Copepoda, Isopoda, larval shrimps, Barnacle
nauplu, and two species of fish eggs.
May .... Copepoda, larval shrimps, “ Ostracod ” stage
of Barnacle, and five species of fish eggs.
June... Pleurobrachia, Sagitta, Copepoda, Crab
Zoea and Megalopa, “ Ostracod”’ stage of
198 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Barnacle, young mussels and two species
of fish eggs.
July... Gelatinous alge, Copepoda, and “ Ostracod ”
stage of Barnacle.
August ... Diatoms, NVoctiluca, Sagitta, Copepoda, Crab
Zoea and Megalopa, young Mysis.
Biddulphia was the only diatom noted. The Cope-
poda were represented by Calanus, Pseudocalanus, Para-
calanus, Temora, Centropages, Acartea and Anomalocera.
The Isopoda by Hurydice and Idotea. In addition to the
conspicuous organisms noted above, the following were
found during the detailed examination, Ceratiwm tripos,
young medusoids, “pluteus” stages of Mchinus and
Spatangus, larval worms, the “mitraria” stage of
Polyzoa, and one specimen of the second larval stage of
the Norway lobster.
Section II.—Rissie Hstvuary.
Characteristic Organism.
Mareh ... Sagztta, Copepoda, larval shrimps and JZ ysis,
and six species of fish eggs.
May ... Sagitta, Copepoda, larval shrimps and Mysis,
“ Ostracod ” stage of Barnacle, Medusoids,
and two species of fish eggs.
June ... Gelatinous alge, Pleurobrachia and Medu-
soids, Copepoda, Crab Zoea and Megalopa,
“ Ostracod ” stage of Barnacle, two species
of fish eggs and one post-larval Cottus.
July ... Gelatinous alge, Noctiluca, larval Echino-
derms, Copepoda, Crab Zoea and Megalopa,
young mussels and one species of fish ege.
August .... Diatoms, Gelatinous algae, Noctiluca, Pleuro-
brachia and Medusoids, larval Eehino-
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 199
derms, Sagitta, Copepoda, Isopoda, Crab
Zoea and Megalopa, larval shrimps and
Mysis, Otkopleura.
September. Plewrobrachia and Medusoids, Sagitta, Cope-
poda, Crab Megalopa, larval shrimps and
Lysis.
October ...Diatoms, Noetiluca, Sagitta, Copepoda, Clado-
cera, Crab Zoea and Megalopa.
The diatoms noted in this section were Rhzzosolenia,
Coscinodiscus, and Chetoceros. The Copepoda recorded in
the previous remarks were also found in the Ribble
estuary along with the following additional species,
Labidocera, Isias and Fiterpina. The Cladocera were
represented by Podon intermedium.
Section II].—Merrsry Estuary.
Characteristic Organisms.
December.. Sagitta, Copepoda, Isopoda, and larval A/yszs.
(1903). |
February... Sagztta, Copepoda.
(1904).
June ... Gelatinous alge only.
July ... Gelatinous alge, Voctiluca, and Copepoda.
August ... Gelatinous alge, Noctiluca, Pleurobrachia,
and Medusoids, larval Echinoderms,
Sagitta, Copepoda, Isopoda, Crab Zoea and
Megalopa, larval shrimps and Mysis,
Orko pleura.
September. Diatoms, Voctzluca, Pleurobrachia and Medu-
soids, Sagitta, Copepoda, Isopoda, Crab
Zoea and Megalopa, larval shrimps and
Mysis.
The diatoms observed were similar to those in section
200 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
II., with the exception that Chetoceros was absent and
Biddulphia present. All the Copepoda noted above were
found. Hurydice was the only representative of the
Tsopoda.
Section IV.—Ruyt to Great OrmeE’s Heap.
Characteristic Organisms.
December.. Sagztta and Copepoda.
February .. Sagitta, Autolytus, Copepoda, Crab Zoea, and
one species of fish egg.
March ... Diatoms, Acanthometra, Sagitta, Autolytus,
Copepoda, Copepod nauplu, Crab Zoea,
larval shrimps, Barnacle nauplii, Tunicate
eggs, Alcyoniwm eggs, and three species of
fish eggs.
April... Copepoda, Isopoda, Copepod nauplii, Crab
Zoea, larval shrimps, Barnacle nauplu and
“ Ostracod” stage, four species of fish
eggs.
June ... Gelatinous alge.
July ... Gelatinous alge.
August ... Diatoms, MWocteluca, Pleurobrachia, Sagitia,
Copepoda, Cladocera, Copepod nauplii,
Crab Zoea and Megalopa, larval shrimps,
Orkopleura, and one species of fish egg.
October .... Diatoms, Woctiluca, Sagitta, Copepoda, and
Crab Megalopa.
Four species of Diatoms were observed in this
area, viz., Rhazosolenia, Coscinodiscus, Biddulphia and
Chetoceros. Acanthometra, a radiolarian, was plentiful
in February. The Copepoda were similar to those found
in Section II., with the exception that Labidocera was
absent and Ozthona present. The Cladocera were repre-
sented by Podon intermedium and P. leuckarti.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 201
Section V.—Great Ormer’s Heap to Red WHARF
Bay.
Characteristic Organisms.
December.. Sagitta and Copepoda.
January .... Sagitta and Copepoda.
March ... Sagitta, Autolytus, Copepoda, Crab Zoea,
larval shrimps, and two species of fish
eggs.
June ... Gelatinous alge.
July ... Gelatinous alge.
August ... Gelatinous alge, Diatoms, Vocteéluca, Pleuro-
brachia, and Medusoids, Sagztta, Tom-
opteris, Copepoda, Copepod nauphi, Crab
Megalopa, and larval shrimps. |
September. Diatoms, Noctiluca, Pleurobrachia, Sagitta,
Autolytus, Copepoda, Isopoda, Crab Zoea,
and Megalopa, larval shrimps and d/ysis,
one young gurnard.
October ... Diatoms, Woctiluca, Sagitta, Copepoda.
The Diatoms recorded for the previous Section were
all noted here. The Copepod were similar to the last,
except that /szas was absent.
Section VI.—TrRemApoc Bay.
Characteristic Organisms.
February .. Sagitta, Autolytus, Copepoda, Isopoda, larval
| Mysis, and two species of fish eggs.
April... Diatoms, Sagitta, Copepoda, Copepod nauplii,
Barnacle nauplii and “ Ostracod” stage,
two species of fish eggs.
May ... Diatoms, Sagitta, Copepoda, Cladocera,
Crab Zoea, larval shrimps, ‘“ Ostracod ”
202 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
stage of Barnacle, two species of fish eggs
and one post-larval gadoid.
June ... Gelatinous alge, Pleurobrachia and Medu-
solids, Sagztta, Copepoda, Crab Zoea, larval
shrimps, and two species of fish eggs.
July ... Gelatinous alge, Copepoda, Cladocera,
Isopoda, Crab Zoea and Megalopa, larval
Jaxea, young mussels, one species of fish
egg, and one young garfish.
September. Sagztta, Copepoda, Copepod nauplii, Crab
Zoea and Megalopa.
Coscinodiscus and Biddulphia were the only diatoms
noted. Ovzthona and Huterpina appeared to be absent, but
the others already mentioned were found. The Cladocera
were again represented by Podon intermedium and P.
leuckartt. A number of specimens of “ Trachelifer ”
stage of Jazea were found at the surface and bottom in
July.
Section VII.—AsBrErystwytH to NEw Qvay.
Characteristic Organisms.
February .. Sagdtta, Autolytus, Copepoda, larval dZLyszs,
and two species of fish eggs.
June ... Gelatinous alge, Pleurobrachia, Autolytus,
Copepoda, Copepod nauplii, Crab Zoea and
Megalopa, larval shrimps, one species of
fish egg and eight ‘“‘ Mackerel Midges.”
July ... Gelatinous alge, Medusoids, Copepoda, Crab
Zoea and Megalopa, larval shrimps, one
species of fish egg, and one young Gadoid.
August .... Plewrobrachia, Copepoda, Isopoda, Crab Zoea
and Megalopa, larval Mysis, larval Squilla,
one young gurnard and two young
weevels.
pe lit i i tt a a SY St at
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 203
No diatoms were seen in this Section, but this is
probably due to the fact that collections were not made
during the periods when they were abundant in other parts
of the district. All the Copepoda already given occurred in
the Section. Specimens of a larval Stomatopod were found
for the first time in our experience of Irish Sea tow-
nettings. The pelagic eggs of fish were taken in a tow-
netting off the Patches Buoy on February 2nd, the
earliest record in the district for 1904. I have just heard
from Dr. Jenkins, the Superintendent, that two pelagic
eggs and a spent-female fish, 194 inches long, were
collected on January 26th, 1905. Three NVyciphanes and
two Crangon nanus occurred in the bottom tow-net in
February.
OFF-sHORE Station JI.—Morecampe Bay LicGursure.
Characteristic Organisms.
February .. Sagztta, Autolytus, Copepoda, Nyctiphanes,
and one species of fish egg.
March ... Sagztta, Autolytus, Copepoda, and Copepod
nauplii, Crab Zoea, and four species of
fish eggs.
April... Sagitta, Copepoda, Crab Zoea, “ Ostracod ”
| stage of Barnacle, and one species of fish
egg.
July ... Gelatinous alge and one species of fish egg.
September. Diatoms, Sagitta, Copepoda, Crab Zoea and
Megalopa, Medusoids.
Coscinodiscus was the ouly representative of the
diatoms. The Copepoda noted were Calanus, Pseudoca-
lanus, Paracalanus, Temora, Centropages, cea eee ee ae : 25 21
Raia clapata 2. os eae 8 6
Total food Fishes caught.. | 114 120
The similarity of results between the two catches 1s
very striking, especially when it is remembered that it
ig very difficult to trawl over exactly the same strip of sea
bottom, and, further, when the marked differences which
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 231
the exact locality makes is borne in mind—differences
which are especially well indicated in the results of the
hauls made in Luce Bay.
2. Six Hauls with a Fish Trawl in Luce Bay, on
November 18th, 1904.
By permission of the Fishery Board, the third day’s
trawling was deferred to November 18th. On this occa-
sion, all plaice of 15 inches and over in length were
brought back alive for hatching purposes. By making
use of this limit of size an average of from 15°5 inches to
15 inches (according to the haul) was obtained. On the
whole, plaice were scarcer and smaller on this date than
was previously the case. With this exception, the results
are fairly similar to those recorded above, and need not be
separately discussed.
A table of the results of the hauls follows :—
Six Havuts with Aa Fish Trawi 1n Luce Bay,
on NovemMBer 18ruH, 1904.
Fish caught. onl it | Haul 2. Haul 3. | Haul 4. | Haul. | Haul 6.
ot
Plaice over 13” long...... 25 | 22 9 SMa OS 34
Plaice under 13"long... 48 | 55 | 51 210 | 67 | 70
Dabs ...... 7 rete 40 | 23 | 17 | 66 | 2
Memion Soles ............ 3 | |
emAOCTS ...............--- | 4 fe
2 re 2 2 3 3;
SI 5 eee (ese 4 2 5 | 44
ll ee = 1
|
Total food Fishes...| 150 | 108 | 89 | 294 | 101 | 152
232 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
8. Distribution of Plaice and Dabs.
Some notes on this subject, derivable from the
trawling statistics collected by the officers of the Com-
mittee, may be of interest. I will take, first of all, all
the observations made on the distribution of immature
fishes on the Blackpool closed ground :—
Date. Dabs caught. Plaice caught.
July p14, 1903'. sees ee. | 740
ac os eit, See | 1,850 | Sa...
Tyee Pa 1 lee Sole tee | 18,050 26 ee ee
“Helis 12, 004 eee | 2,685. |) Saenger
April A. se ia te ak ee 3,429 Yo Wignall,
Maye, ..4e > Lae bela: serene 390 eet | Ee Se
LL Geo he a eee 514 | 62 aay
June ~ 10 Sr eee oe 78 41 | from the
Was har Semen ee * 534 |) 31 asec.
tery ee re ce 200 | 92 J
July? 14j1009-) ete | 72) Sa
+ Septe: clG, hag, Phe sone ees 30 5 ' meee
NOW.) LB Ns yon os tear 1,479 7 ale
Dec 90’) ee ee 2.081° em om
deme pal 2, PSO te ye 1,270 7 Wright,
Feb". 5) ee 15,513 eo eee
March LD. tae beer Cee eee 3,893 eS from the
Rey ae ee 10,300 | 17 aia
May 18, A ea eee eee sr 47 «Piel
ifs ; 55 pein eee cate Castle.”’
Jinme <275\ 3. “eee 73 9 |
** A shrimp shank net was used on this occasion.
+ Only one shank net was used on this occasion.
It will be seen from these figures that young plaice
are very scarce on the Blackpool closed ground, and that
dabs are relatively very abundant. Further, dabs are
extremely abundant during the cold winter months.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 233
Thus, on December 11th, Captain Wignall made what is
almost a record haul of these fishes, viz.,18,050 in one
drag of an hour’s duration.
It is interesting to compare with the above results
those obtained by Mr. Eccles on the Mersey shrimping
grounds. I give the average hauls for each month of the
same year. Usually two or three hauls were made each
month.
Month. Dabs caught. Plaice caught.
July, TOO Bae a 666 51
August, oS ae a 1,159 21 Mhese
220 1001 00g 699 72. hauls were
oe, 233 Sd let
.) OW re 305 10 | shrimp
MMECMIDEr -,. ...-..2.2.005-- yaa 274 + trawl
Weary, 1904.00... 0... 31 2 la aa
March, Petr) Atecey toertia 2/3. 195 10 | cutter
April, Mae es. et. 90 if ‘* Rock-
May, Se ae ee ae oe
June, (oi eee a 19
* Plaice were unusually abundant this month.
The above figures show that on the Mersey shrimping
erounds immature plaice are, on the whole, about as
abundant throughout most of the year as on the Blackpool
eround, and, also, that they are more abundant on the
former ground in the middle of the winter. But the
figures also show that there is not, by any means, the
same disproportion between plaice and dabs. ‘That is,
dabs are very much more numerous in proportion to
plaice on the Blackpool than on the Mersey grounds.
In the Fisheries Laboratory Report for 1902, I gave
a summary of the statistics of immature fishes caught im
the shrimp trawling observations during the years 1895-
234 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
1902. It will be convenient to quote those figures here
for comparison with the records just given. They are :—-
AVERAGE CATCHES OF PLAICE AND DABs.
BLACKPOOL CLOSED | Mersey SHRIMPING
Psion. GROUND. GROUND.
Dabs. Plaice. | Dabs. | Plaice.
8rd quarter, 1893-7...) 1982 | 1268 706° 901
ord quarter, 1898-1902) 1316 231 549 157
8rd quarter, 19038...... ee Me. 802 52,
3rd quarter, 1904...... gs be 794 169
All the hauls on the Blackpool closed grounds were
made by Captain Wignall, and all those quoted for the
Mersey grounds by Mr. Eccles. They are all hauls with a
shrimp trawl. We have not enough hauls with a shrimp
trawl on the Blackpool ground to make reliable com-
parisons for the years 1903-4, and it would not do to use
Mr. Wright’s hauls for this purpose, as the fishing action
of a shank net is different, with regard to small fishes,
from that of a shrimp trawl. But the figures show that
plaice have become very much scarcer than dabs on the
Blackpool area, and a glance at the table of hauls made
by Captain Wignall on that ground during the year June,
1903—June, 1904, will show that this poverty of plaice
as compared with dabs still continues. The same change
has taken place on the Mersey area, but to a much less
marked extent. Plaice there are scarcer than they used
to be, but the disproportion between them and dabs is not
nearly so great as on the Blackpool ground.
When the Scottish Fishery Board closed the terri-
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 235
torial waters of the Firth of Forth and St. Andrew’s Bay,
they took very full statistics of the fish caught on these
areas. ‘These statistics extended over 10 years, and in the
Report of the Fishery Board for 1895" they are
summarized. This table is given in the Report for 1898.
Nunnhen et Plaice and Dabs and long
ai Lemon Soles rough Dabs
E caught. caught.
1886-1890 oa) = 29,869 19,825
1891-1895 466 28,044 29,483
In this case trawling observations shewed that, during
the 10 years in which the grounds had been closed, plaice
and lemon soles had decreased, while the coarse fish, dabs
and long rough dabs, had increased. Dr. Fulton
attributed this to the fact that a great increase of trawling .
had taken place during these ten years on the grounds
outside the closed area; and that spawning plaice and
lemon soles, which frequent these off-shore areas, had
decreased in consequence of this increased fishing, and that
the in-shore grounds had been robbed of fry and young
fishes. On the other hands, dabs and long rough dabs
were not caught to the same extent, because these fishes,
when mature, frequent in-shore waters to a greater extent
than plaice and lemon soles, and spawn there. Further,
they are smaller fishes, and so escape capture to a greater
extent.
Now, this argument may apply also to our in-shore
and off-shore grounds off the N.W. Coast of England, but
it is also just possible that there may be another explana-
tion. The figures I have quoted from the Committee's
* Part 3, p. 25; see also Report for 1898, pt. 3, p. 128.
236 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
statistics show, I think, that dabs have become much
more numerous, with regard to plaice, on the Blackpool
ground (which is closed against trawling) than on the
Mersey ground (which is open to trawling). This
suggests that closing the former ground has favoured the
dabs much more than the plaice. In what precise way,
it is difficult to conjecture.
It is always very difficult to forecast what may be
the result of interference with natural conditions with
regard to marine animals. Thus, according to the cockle
fishermen of Morecambe Bay, cockles are not so abundant
in many places as they used to be, because of their
destruction by sea-birds, which have increased greatly on
account of the operation of the Sea Birds Preservation
Acts. Then the Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries for
England and Wales pointed out* the positively injurious
effects of fish culture in American fresh waters. ‘The
introduction of the fry of a fresh-water fish—the black
bass (Aicropterus dolomieu)—not only led to the practical
destruction of the trout in the streams into which this
fish had been introduced, but by-and-bye the bass them-
selves became dwarfed, and nearly valueless as game
fishes.
Too much reliance can, of course, be placed on the
statistics quoted above, but it is evident that the conelu-
sion which I have suggested may be as reasonable as any
that may be deduced from the facts.
4. Qccasional Scarcity of Shrimps on Blackpool Closed
Ground.
On June 10th, 1904, several hauls were made on the
above ground, with the object of getting some shrimps
for bacteriological analysis. Usually there is no difficulty
* See their Annual Reports for 1897 and 1898, pp. 14-15 and 6-9
respectively.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. on
in getting a good catch of these animals here, but on this
occasion, after a drag of one hour over about two miles of
ground, no shrimps whatever were found in the catch
made by the shrimp trawl net, though 173 small fishes
of the usual kinds, and the usual invertebrates, were
eaught. Another haul was then made with the shrimp
trawl a little nearer the shore, and on this trial 576 small
fishes were caught, but only two shrimps. Fishermen
believe that when shrimps are so scarce as this they either
have migrated into deeper water, or they “dawk,”’ that is,
bury themselves in the sand. ‘To test this latter theory, a
shank net was put out, and dragged for another hour.
Fewer fishes were caught, as usually happens with a
shank net, but there were only three shrimps in the
catch, though it was evident, from the abundance of
Mactra and other molluses taken, that the bar of the net
frame had been digging into the surface layer of the sand
on the bottom. The wind was blowing strongly from
K.N.E. at the time, and had been easterly generally for
the past eight days, and Captain Wignall attributed the
scarcity of shrimps to this prevalence of easterly winds.
This scarcity of shrimps on Blackpool closed ground
has been noticed many times before in the observations
made by the “John Fell” and bailiff cutters. The
following observations may be quoted here : —
Trawl ...... May 31, 1895,noshrimps, 187 fishes, wind S., easy ;
1230 eecre June 20, 1895, re Tile 3% » N.W., “ whole sail ”’
Shank...... Dec. 16, 1897, zk Dies, »» , 0-H, Strong ;
Do. do. Xs OO os, 55 do.
Trawl 4.... Dec. 22, 1897, 43 EDVGy Spaces, Easy:
Do. do. i AGT 3. Hosoi. Lesh:
Do. Mar. 7, 1898, a LOBE 5; wy INE HIS. Casa:
Do. O. Pe Use, Ss a; do.
(This latter haul made with an extra chain on foot rope.)
Do. Aug. 2,1899,noshrimps,1027_ ,, aH NINE. Easy:
Do. July 24,1901, 3shrimps, 980 ,, 15) TUNES
2 shanks...May 30,1904,noshrimps, 87 ,, 33 NEE:
238 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
These are all the hauls on record in which less than
three shrimps have been caught in one haul, and in most
of the cases the wind has had some element of Kast in its
direction. There are, of course, other hauls on record in
which fair catches of shrimps have been made under
apparently somewhat similar conditions. Too much may,
indeed, be made of such observations, for fully to investi-
gate the causes of such local scarcities of shrimps would
necessitate a thorough examination of weather records for
the week or fortnight preceding the date of the hauls.
But the observations I have quoted show with some degree
of probability that the direction of the wind does affect
the abundance of shrimps in this locality—though not
necessarily in others.
5. A Haul of Dogfishes.
An exceptionally large catch of these fishes was made
on September 20th, 1904, on the grounds near Liverpool
N.W. Lightship. On these grounds one usually expects
to get a fair catch of plaice, soles, dabs, skate, ray and
other edible fishes, with, perhaps, half a dozen or so dog-
fishes. On this occasion, however, the net came up, after
about one hour’s drag, apparently full of dogfishes. The
latter were counted, and about 350 in all were found
among the catch. The other fishes taken were 35 dabs,
27 grey gurnards, 14 soles, 9 lemon soles, 3 each red and
yellow gurnards, 3 plaice and 1 skate. The net had
evidently encountered a “school” of dogfishes. The
latter belonged to three species—Scyllium canicula,
S. catulus and Acanthias vulgaris. The latter was the
commonest form, but the exact numbers of each species
were not counted. All the dogfishes were cheerfully
destroyed by the men before being thrown overboard.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 239
6. Food of Plaice and Soles.
Very generally it is found that plaice feed almost
exclusively on small bivalve molluscs, such as mussels,
eockles, and such forms as WSerobicularia, Tellina or
Nucula, while soles prefer nereid worms. But occasion-
ally this choice of food is entirely reversed. Thus in a
haul made off the Liverpool N.W. Lightship, on 27th
September, 1904, all the plaice dissected (about half-
dozen) were found to be feeding entirely on nereid worms,
while the principal contents of the stomachs of the soles
examined were the bivalves Solen and Scrobicularia, and
nereids and prawns, though also present, were not
apparently a favourite food. In Luce Bay, again the
stomachs of most of the plaice examined contained
Nucula, Donax and Solen, but in many cases nereids
were the commonest food, and in others the stomachs
contained the unusual food animals, ophiuroids and
amphipods.
7. Weights of Soles and Plaice of various lengths.
Several soles caught off Morecambe Bay Lightship,
on 20th September, 1904, were measured and weighed,
and the results recorded. The latter may be of interest,
as shewing how very rapidly the weight increases with
increasing length.
Length. Weight.
94 inches. 32 OZs.
10 = Ai ,,
12 x 84,
Phas Oi
13255, il 9 es
14 - 143,
Le . melo. -;,
240 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
The law governing the increase in weight of similarly
shaped bodies of increasing dimensions is that the weight
increases directly as the cube of any one of the dimen-
sions. Thus, if a fish is doubled in length its weight
ought to be increased eight times. The increase in weight
of fishes with even slightly-increasing length is, there-
fore, very great.
Several plaice caught on the Mersey shrimping
grounds, and measured and weighed, gave the following
results : —
Length. Weight.
+ inches. PeOYASE
8 5 St 45
9 99 5 99
10 99 6 99
12 - DLE
Dr. Fulton* points out, however, that the weight of a
fish always Increases more rapidly than the above law
indicates. This is because the growth is unequal, the ©
fish increasing more rapidly in breadth or thickness
(probably the latter) than in length.
8. Exceptionally low specific gravity of the Sea Water off |
Blackpool.
On November 13th, 1904, while trawling off Black-
pool, an exceptionally low reading of the hydrometer was
taken. The weather was fine and the sea smooth, with
an easy S.E. breeze. The surface temperature was
86° C., and the specific gravity 1021°8 (taken with the
Kiel aréometers. On reduction, to compensate for the —
* An. Rept. Fishery Bd. for Scotland, 1904, pt. 3, p. 141.
——— ee
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. QAI
low temperature, this specific gravity would be lower
still. It is only on very rare occasions that specific
eravities less than 1024 are observed in the open sea.
Of course, very low values are sometimes obtained in
estuaries. Thus, on 16th November, 1901, at low water,
a specific gravity of 10171 was taken at Liverpool
Landing Stage. In the case of the Blackpool determina-
tion, which I refer to here, the cause was the exceptionally
heavy floods which had taken place in both the Ribble
and the Wyre about a week previously. The fresh water
poured down from these rivers was, even a week later,
forming a surface layer on the adjacent sea area. What
the reading 1021°8 of the hydrometer means is that the
normal sea water on the surface had become mixed with
(roughly speaking) about 20 per cent. of fresh water.
9242 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
BACTERIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN
RELATION TO SHELLFISH POLLUTION
BY SEWAGE MATTER.
By Jas. JOHNSTONE.
LE EOD S:
Il. THE MUSSEL BEDS IN THE MERSEY ESTUARY.
Ill. MUSSEL BEDS IN THE LUNE ESTUARY.
IV. DEEP-SEA OYSTERS.
I. Methods.
It is advisable to give some account of the methods
employed in the analyses of the shellfish dealt with, since
doubt is often felt as to the identification of bacterial
species when statements of the methods employed are not
made. In the following investigations the method in
use in the Thompson- Yates laboratories at the University
of Liverpool, for the isolation and identification of
organisms belonging to the colon and typhoid groups, has
been employed. This method was elaborated by Dr. A.
McConkey,” and subsequently by Dr. A. Grunbaum,t and
depends on the inhibitory action of taurocholate of soda
prepared from ox-bile, on incubation at the relatively
high temperature of 42° C., and on the further identifica-
tion of the microbes thus isolated by their reactions with
various sugar and glycerine media. It is somewhat
laborious but it insists on a more stringent proof of the
identity of Bacillus coli, and other organisms derived
from the human intestine, than the other methods
commonly followed in the past.
Batches of six to twelve mussels (or oysters) have
* Reports. Thompson-Yates Laboratories, Liverpool, Vol. 4, pt. 1.
+ British Medical Journal, June 14, 1902,
—_
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 943
been examined, and each shellfish is analysed separately.
The shellfish have always been gathered from different
parts of the bed so that a sample representative of the
whole area is obtained. When collected by myself (or Mr.
Scott) the shellfish are put at once into sterilized tins with
tight-fitting lids and brought to the laboratory in these
vessels. | Whenever practicable the analysis has been
begun on the day of collection so as to avoid changes in
the food contents of the fish. When this was not practi-
eable the tins were put into large basins and kept
surrounded with ice during the period pending
examination.
The exterior of the shells is scrubbed under the tap
(Liverpool tap water is free from Bacillus colz) with a hard
brush and the fish are laid down on a sterile towel.
They are then opened one at a time with sterile knives,
and a cut is made through the visceral mass over the
region of the stomach so that the cavity of the latter is
opened. Sterile pipettes have previously been made by
drawing out pieces of glass tube, and one of these is used
for each animal examined. A small quantity (0:1 to
0-25 cc.) is then taken from the liquid which fills up the
incision in the body of the fish, and this is used for the
primary inoculation. This liquid is principally the food
contents of the stomach, but it also contains blood, and
the liquid which fills up the acini of the digestive gland
or “liver.” This latter gland is very probably to be
regarded as an extension of the cavity of the stomach in
which digestion takes place, so that it also contains food
contents. The analysis is, therefore, that of the sub-
stances, partly changed by digestion, on which the
molluses have been feeding at the time of capture.
One pipetteful of this hquid is then placed on the
surface of “neutral-red, bile-salt, lactose agar,” pre-
Q44 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCTETY.
viously poured into a Petri dish and allowed to set, and
is then spread evenly over the surface of this medium
by means of a sterile, wide loop of platinum wire. The
Petri dish is then inverted and put into the incubator.
At the same time a similar pipetteful of the liquid is
inoculated into a tube of sterile litmus milk, which has
previously been heated to 100° C. for half an hour, and
then cooled rapidly. The tubes of milk thus imoculated
are then heated to 75°-80° C. for twenty minutes, and are
packed into an ordinary litre gas-jar (which holds about
a dozen 5in. test-tubes). Pyrogallic acid has previously
been placed in the bottom of the jar and strong caustic
soda solution is then poured in so as to dissolve the acid.
The jar is then tightly stoppered by a rubber bung and
put into the incubator. At first I used a modification of
Bulloch’s anzrobic culture apparatus and displaced the
air in the jar by hydrogen, but this treatment is
unnecessary, for anerobic conditions are secured by the
method indicated above.
The cultivation of the stomach liquid on the neutral-
red agar medium enables one to isolate colonies of B. col.
The anerobic cultivation in milk isolates and grows the
spores of a bacillus—in most cases B. enteritidis sporogenes.
These cultures are incubated for 24 hours at 41°-5-
42° C. With some little experience one is then able to
pick out the colonies on the neutral-red agar plates, which
are probably those of B. coli. From each plate two or
more colonies, representative of those judged to be pro-
duced by this microbe, are then sub-cultured on the
surface of sloping nutrient agar in tubes. These
secondary cultures are then incubated for 24 hours at
42° C. Also at the end of 24 hours the milk tubes are
examined and the presence or absence of the well-known
“enteritidis reaction ” recorded.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. Q45
From each secondary agar culture a tertiary sub-
culture is made in a tube of each of the following media.
Bile-salt glucose broth (McConkey’s well-known medium),
litmus glucose, lactose, mannose, sucrose, and glycerine
broths, and htmus milk. These tertiary sub-cultures are
then incubated for 48 hours at 42° C. and the results,
production of acid and gas, and in the case of the milk,
~ acid and clotting, noted. The secondary agar cultures
are also examined for the motility of the microbes.
By Bacillus coli is understood a microbe giving the
following reactions :—
1. Deep red colonies (surrounded by a haze usually
if deep) in neutral-red, bile-salt, lactose agar.
2. Acid and gas in bile-salt glucese broth.
3. m = glucose broth.
A 3 “5 lactose broth.
5. a m mannose broth.
6. 3 5, or no change in sucrose broth.
. No change, or simple acid in glycerine broth in
48 hours.
8. Acid and clotting in milk.
9. Well-marked motility in young agar cultures.
It will be seen then that the process of analysis 1s
laborious and cannot be hurried.
In the case of the examination of a dozen mussels
24 primary cultures have to be made. When the neutral
red primary plates are examined the colonies resembling
those produced by B. coli are counted and recorded as
“ colon-like colonies.” From the twelve plates so counted
perhaps 18 (at the least) separate colonies are sub-cultured
on agar and each of these is then sub-cultured 7 times—
that is 126 tertiary sub-cultures may be made. Of the
18 colonies thus examined in detail, perhaps 9 will prove
6 |
946 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
to be B. colt. We are then justified in concluding that
half of the colonies recorded as “ colon-like colonies’’ are
those of B. colz.
II. The Mussel Beds in the Mersey Estuary.
The Egremont Mussel Bed.
The dangerous pollution of this mussel bed was first
noticed by Dr. Craigmile, Medical Officer to the Wallasey
Urban District Council. Some years ago this gentleman
made a report to his Council and drew attention to a case
where two persons—a father and son—both developed
enteric fever in a very severe form in consequence of
eating mussels (or cockles) from the bed near the
Kgremont Ferry slip, and one of them died.* The Health
Committee then took action, and posted notices along
the river wall, from Seacombe to the Shore Road on the
Wallasey sandhills, warning the public of the danger
incurred by gathering and eating mussels from this fore-
shore, and forbidding this practice. Further than this,
however, the Committee could not go, as the law gave
them no power to prosecute. The practice of gathering
mussels, for sale as food, from the Wallasey bed,
continued then. About the beginning of 1903 the late
Mr. R. A. Dawson took the matter up, and generally the
whole question of the pollution by sewage of the shellfish
beds in the Lancashire and Western Fisheries District,
and both he and Professor Herdman gave evidencet on
this subject before the Royal Commission on Sewage
Disposal, which was then considering the question of the
pollution of shellfish beds by sewage and trade effluents.
* See Dr. Craigmile’s letter to the late Mr. Dawson; printed in
4th Rept. Roy. Comm. Sewage Disposal, Vol. II., p. 3; [ed. 1884]
1904.
+ 4th Rept. Roy. Comm. Sewage Disposal, Vol. Il., pp. 1 and 90;
[ed. 1884] 1904.
te
New BRIGHTON.
LIVERPOOL.
THE EGREMONT MUSSEL BED AND THE NEIGHBOURING
SEWERS.
i
-— of the Bed occupied by young mussels:
‘ Fold mussels; ———=s> the sewage outfalls.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. DAT.
Subsequently Mr. Dawson and Professor Herdman
prepared reports on the matter, which are reprinted in
the Report for 1903 of the Lancashire Sea Fisheries
Laboratory.; Then about the beginning of the present
year I was instructed by the Committee to make a
bacteriological analysis of the mussels growing on this,
and the other beds, in the Mersey Estuary.
Two preliminary analyses of the mussels from
Keremont were made on January 4th and 18th, 1904.
Then a third and more detailed examination was made on
February 3rd. On February 2nd I visited the bed at low
water with Mr. Fish, one of the bailiffs at New Brighton.
The exact situation of the bed, and the sewer outfalls in
proximity to it, are shown in the accompanying sketch
chart, Plate I., which is reproduced from a chart of the
shellfish beds of the whole district, prepared by the late
Mr. Dawson, and submitted by him in evidence before the
Sewage Commission.* At that time the bed consisted of
two portions, one to the North of the Ferry-shp, which
contained only young mussels, and was not fished, and the
other, South of the slip, on which large mussels were
present. It was from this southern portion that I
collected the sample for analysis. While we were on
the bed two men came down with bags and began to
gather the mussels, but were persuaded by Mr. Fish to
go away. But just as we left, several men came on
the bed with a cart and began to take the mussels. The
bed, then, was being worked at that time. Just now
(December, 1904) Mr. Eccles informs me that there are
practically no large mussels left on the southern portion,
t 4th Rept. Roy. Comm. Sewage Disposal, Vol. II., pp. 98-108 ;
[ed. 1884] 1904.
* Report 4, Vol. IL., [cd. 1884] 1904.
NEW BRIGHTON.
RIVER
MERSEY
LIVERPOOL.
THE EGREMONT MUSSEL BED AND THE NEIGHBOURING
SEWERS.
yyy yy
MI//frrortion of the Bed occupied by young mussels;
old mussels; —— > the sewage outfalis.
‘a
‘
+
x
qi
;
248 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
and that, fortunately, the small mussels on the northern
portion are being broken up by the surf.
Four sewers, Nos. 4-7, discharge on the whole bed.
Nos. 4 and 6 were discharging crude sewage at the time
we were on the bed and the immediate neighbourhoods of
these outfalls, particularly that of No. 4, were very foul
with accumulations of fecal matter and watercloset
paper, and banked-up amorphous débris.
The mussels collected were rather small but all above
gauge size (2 to 24 inches long). They, most of them,
contained pea crabs, but were apparently healthy and not
ill-nourished. The mantles were filling up and contained
plenty of spawn. They were examined, and the primary
cultures made, on the same night on which they were
collected. |
After 24 hours the primary neutral-red agar plates
were counted with the following results : —
Mussel. Number of Colon-like Colonies.
1 About 900
2 i, 600
3 5: ee OO
4 " 250
5 33 300
6 Very numerous, colonies run together.
7 Over 1000 ?
8 Numerous, colonies run together.
9 About 250
10 Numerous, colonies run together.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. QAI
Results of the anerobic milk cultures: All the
milk tubes showed the typical “enteritidis reaction,”
that is, clotting, acid formation, and subsequent bleaching
of the litmus, abundant gas formation so that the clot was
broken up, and a fetid smell. The spores of B. enteritidis
sporogenes (or of some other anerobic spore-forming
bacillus) were therefore present.
Fifteen of the colon-like colonies were then selected
and sub-cultured, with the result that B. coli was found to
be present on every plate. At the least one-third of the
colonies were proved to be those of B. colt. Therefore in
a5 to + cc. of the stomach contents of the worst mussel
examined, that is in a good-sized drop, there were present
about 300 colon bacilh.
A great number of other microbes were also present.
Many of these grew on neutral-red agar as white colonies.
This colour of colony on this medium 1s characteristic of
the typhoid bacillus. Several white colonies were, there-
fore, sub-cultured, but B. typhosus was not present. None
of these white colonies was identified with certainty.
Staphylococci were abundantly present in most of the
plates, but these microbes have no special significance and
are widely distributed. B. acidz lactict was also numerous.
Here again this bacillus has no dangerous significance.
It is very numerous in sewage but need not necessarily
be derived from the human intestine.
The analysis showed, then, that the Egremont
mussel bed was excessively polluted, and that the mussels
were feeding on the sewage matters.
250 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
The Rock Ferry Mussel Bed.
The Rock Ferry bed is not of much economic im-
portance, but since mussels are occasionally gathered
from it and sold as human food it was thought advisable
that it should be examined. I did not inspect this area
myself, but the late superintendent and Mr. Eccles in-
spected it several times, and early in 1903 a sample of
mussels, gathered from it by Mr. Eccles, was sent to the
Laboratory for analysis. It was evident on inspection
that the bed was greatly polluted. Mr. Dawson informed
me that the shellfish in one particular place were living
in what was practically a pool of sewage.
The situation of the bed is shown on the sketch
chart on page 72. There are two sewers (Nos. 1
and 2) near the New Ferry pier, one on each side, and
one (No. 3) close to the South end of the mussel bed itself.
The latter lies just to the South of the Rock Ferry pier.
All these sewers discharge near the limit of low water.
The first sample of mussels was examined on
November 5th, and because of the pressure of other work
which could not be postponed a provisional analysis only
was made, and this was submitted to the General Purposes
Sub-Committee meeting in November, 1908. This
analysis showed that the shellfish on this bed were grossly
polluted. On 11th Oct., 1904, however, another sample was
obtained by Mr. Eccles and sent tome. This sample was
obviously taken from a different portion of the bed than
that from which the first sample was collected, and the
fish did not afford evidence of such a degree of pollution
as the first lot. The results of the analysis are :—
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 251
RESULTS OF THE PRIMARY CULTURES ON NEUTRAL-RED
AGAR PLATES.
Mussel. | Number of Colon-like Colonies.
|
1 | 82
2 | a
3 200
4 46
5 120
6 146
7 Very numerous, colonies run together.
8 | 200
9 | 196
10 | 200
Anerobic cultures for the demonstration of B.
enteritidis sporogenes were also made from the 10 mussels
examined above. All these fish, except No. 4, gave the
typical enteritidis reaction. In No. 4 the milk was
clotted, but the peculiar torn condition of the clot was
not produced.
Nine of the colon-like colonies on the primary
neutral-red plates were inoculated on agar to obtain pure
sub-cultures, and the latter were then tested in detail.
Four of these colonies gave all the reactions for B. colt,
so that nearly half of the colonies counted were those of
this latter bacillus.
The method of analysis reeommended by Dr. A. C.
Houston* was also utilized in this case. One mussel was
- extracted, with all precautions to ensure sterility of the
‘vessels, apparatus, &c., and was beaten up with 100 ce. of
*2nd Report Roy. Comm. Sewage Disposal, p. 185 [cd. 1178], 1902.
SOCIETY.
TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL
252
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SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 953
sterile water. One cc. of this was then inoculated in
99 cc. of sterile water, and 1 ce. of this latter dilution was
again inoculated in other 99 cc. of sterile water. By
repeating this process four liquids were obtained : —
Dilution I.—1 cc. contained ;4,th part of a mussel.
”? Il.— 7 7 sobs wy) »
”? Iit.— 9 3 ioss5 ? rr)
-
pm) TV.— ”? i) L00000 39 %9
Then 1 cc. from each dilution was moculated in about
10 ce. of neutral-red agar hquid at a temperature of
42° C., and the latted media were then poured into Petri
dishes and incubated. At the same time 1 cc. of each
dilution was inoculated in milk tubes, and the latter were
incubated anzrobically as before.
The results were that the first plate (Dilution FS
showed 12 colon-like colonies, some of which proved on
further sub-culture to be those of B. coli. The other
plates were sterile so far as this microbe was concerned.
1 ce. of Dilutions I. and Il. gave the enteritidis test in the
typical manner.
Therefore, B. colt was present in;z}, part of a mussel
from the Rock Ferry bed, and B. enteritidis sporogenes
Was present 10 zob5 part.
The Wallasey Mussel Bed.
Tt was thought advisable to examine this bed also for
evidences of sewage pollution, though I did not expect
to find such so marked as in those beds in the estuary
itself. Indeed, from its open and exposed situation it
was thought probable that pollution by sewage would not
be evident here. The bed is an important one; it is of
large extent, and at times it is the area of a considerable
fishery. Its situation is shown on the chart on next page.
Tt lies far out from shore; extending from near the N.W.
954 ‘TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Fia. 5. Chart of the Mersey estuary, showing the Wallasey mussel bed and the adjacent sewer outfall.
NEW BRIGHTON 2.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 95D
corner of the Wirral peninsula to well below Warren
station. One sewer (No. 9) discharges untreated sewage
at a point rather near to the eastern extremity of the bed.
I visited the bed with Mr. Eccles on June 24th of this
year. We looked for the usual evidences of sewage
pollution (water-closet paper) but could not find any.
The bed is very soft, from the accumulation of mud
underneath the mussels. Here and there the surf had
broken up large portions of this muddy sub-stratum and
the mussels were being smothered and destroyed. It is
to this cause that the fcetid smell, that could be perceived
at times, was due. ‘The mussels were mostly very small,
but were well nourished. The sample collected for
analysis was taken from every accessible portion of the
bed.
Ten mussels were examined with the following
results : —
PRIMARY CULTURES ON NEUTRAL-RED AGAR PLATES.
Number of ‘‘ Colon-like’’
Mussel. Colonies.
1
5)
0
9
Os
11
OSHCondoaw»nrt wOwDw -&
—
i)
es)
256 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Other bacteria, not being those of the colon-group,
were numerous, rather more so, perhaps, than in the
cultures made from Egremont and Rock Ferry mussels.
Five anerobic milk cultures were also made from
mussels Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. In all cases the typical
enteritidis reaction was obtained.
Fourteen of the “colon-like”’ colonies were then
examined in pure sub-culture by the methods indicated.
In 8 of these the reactions characteristic of B. colt were
obtained. Several white colonies were also examined, and
one of these (from mussel 10) gave the following reactions
in 24 hours: Bile-salt, glucose broth, glucose broth and
mannose broth
acid and gas; sucrose broth and glycerine
broth—no reaction; milk—feeble acidity; lactose—no
reaction. The organism was a motile bacillus. In its
inability to ferment lactose it approaches to the character
of the typhoid bacillus. It probably belongs to the
paracolon group of microbes.
More than half of the organisms described as “ colon-
like” are, therefore, B. colt.
A further examination of the mussels from the
Wallasey bed was made on July 4th. The sample in this
case was collected by Mr. Eccles. Dr. Houston’s method
was adopted with the following results :—
Dilution I.—In 54th part of one mussel there were 12 colon-like
colonies.
» AL , a5 a io re was 1colon-like
; colony.
” pe ” sass ) 9 ”) 3) i 99
al
” lhe 92) AEOIOOIO ? i] Pe) ”? 1 >
ee oe ae r 5 were no colonies
whatever.
One colony sub-cultured from I. was B. coli; the
colonies present in IT. and IV. were also B. coli. This
microbe was, therefore, present in zodqqth part of a mussel.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 257
The enteritidis reaction was observed only in
dilutions I. and II.
The mussels present on the Wallasey mussel bed are,
therefore, polluted by sewage, though the degree of
pollution is far less than in the cases of the Egremont and
Rock Ferry mussels. 7
III. The Mussel Beds in the Lune Estuary.
The mussel beds in the estuary of the Lune are of
comparatively little commercial importance;- the salmon
fishery in this arm of the sea is of immensely greater
value. In 1902, however, petitions were presented to the
Laneashire County Council by the Conservators of the
Lune, Wyre, Keer and Cocker fresh water fisheries, and
also by fishermen from the areas round the mouth of the
Lune, complaining of the polluted state of the water in
the river. It was claimed that there was deterioration
of the salmon fishery, and that the health of those engaged
in fishing in the river, and the public health generally,
was likely to suffer in consequence of the increasing con-
tamination of the tidal waters of the Lune estuary by the
erude sewage of the town of Lancaster. An exhaustive
inquiry into the whole question of the pollution of the
river was, therefore, made by Dr. Sergeant, Medical Officer
for the administrative County of Lancaster, and a report
on the subject was presented to the County Council in
April, 1904. The topographical conditions were studied
by Dr. Sergeant, and chemical analyses of samples of
water from various parts of the river were made by Mr.
Halliwell, of the Ribble Watershed Department. The
late Mr. Dawson and Mr. A. Scott also made an inspection
of the mussel beds at the mouth of the estuary, and Mr.
Scott came to the conclusion that there were abundant
local evidences on the ground of sewage contamination.
258 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Karly in the year Dr. Sergeant requested me to undertake
a bacteriological examination of the mussels from the area
in question, and a report was prepared which was sub-
mitted to the County Council in April. — Professor
Delepine of the Owens College, Manchester, also made an
examination, both bacteriological and chemical, of the
deposits on the banks of the river, samples of soil, water
and sewage, and in his report, which was also submitted
to the County Council, he came to the conclusion that
there was “clear evidence of fecal pollution of the banks
of the River Lune, between Lancaster and the sea.’
There are two mussel beds at the mouth of the
estuary, one at “Crook Skear,” about a mile below
Glasson Dock, and another on the opposite bank of the
river along the course of the training wall which extends
from Bazil Point South towards Sunderland Point.
Compared with the great mussel beds in Morecambe Bay
neither of these is of much commercial importance, but
it appears that the fishermen in the neighbourhood rely
on them for at least part of their livelihood during the
winter season. Deterioration of these beds is, therefore,
a question of some local importance, and in addition, the
question of the communication of disease by means of the
sale for food of these shellfish is also of great importance.
Fourteen sewers, mostly over 12 inches in diameter,
discharge sewage in a crude state, from a population of
over 42,000 persons residing in the town of Lancaster and
adjacent villages. One of these sewers discharges the
untreated refuse produced in the Lancaster Infectious
Diseases Hospital.
Two samples of mussels were collected by Mr. J..H.
Gee and sent to me on February 10th, 1904. One of
these was from Crook Skear and the other was from
Bazil Point. They were examined immediately on
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 259
receipt, and the primary cultures made at once. The
mussels from Crook Skear were about 24 inches long, and
those from Bazil Point were a little smaller. All were
apparently healthy and well nourished. Six fish from
each sample were analysed.
The results of the primary cultures on neutral-red
agar were as follows :—
Mussel. Number of ‘‘Colon-like’’ Colonies.
if General fusion of colonies. ,
Mussels | 2 30
from J ) 29
Crook 4 6
Skear. 5 General fusion.
6 do.
7 31
Mussels Biel 2
from oes | if
Bazil LO 12
Point. 1 a 10
is | 23
In addition to the above, cultures of the water in
the shells were also made by the same method. About
0-25 ec. of the water was inoculated on the surface of
neutral-red agar plates.
Mussels 13 to 15 came from Crook Skear, and 16 to
18 from Bazil Point.
The results of these latter cultures are as follows :—
260 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Mussel. | Number of ‘‘ Colon-like’’ Colonies.
| Steril
Crook = | erie.
Clear Vener | 3 small fused areas.
af | 15. | 1 small fused area.
Bazil | _ | 3
Post... 4 | a ,
Gere Sterile.
Colonies representative of those ascribed to “colon-
lke” organisms were then examined in pure sub-culture.
Kleven colonies of this kind were examined with the
result that 4 from the stomach contents, and one from
the water in the shells proved to be those of B. colz.
B. paracolon, an equally significant organism, was also
isolated from mussels 6 and 11. Staphylococci, B. lactice,
B. capsulatus and some aberrant organisms were also
isolated.
Anzrobic milk cultures from the stomachs of mussels
1 to 12 were also made. All these without exception
yielded the typical enteritidis reaction.
At the request of Dr. Sergeant I made a further
examination of the Crook Skear mussel bed. On February
19th Mr. Scott, Mr. J. Wright, Chief Bailiff of the
Northern Division, and I visited this bed. We went on
the Skear about the time of low water. ‘There were few,
if any, evidences of sewage pollution on the mussel bed
itself, but on the sands above the skear, and particularly
on the banks of a large gutter which runs there, we saw
plenty of shredded paper, even distinct accumulations of
this in places. Mr. Wright told us there had been much
flood water in the Lune previous to our visit, and it is,
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 261
therefore, probable that after a dry season the above
evidences of sewage pollution would have been more
apparent. It was impossible to get to Bazil Point at the
time, but a sample of mussels from Crook Skear was
packed in a sterile tin, and samples of the paper on the
sands were put into a sterile bottle. The material so
collected was examined and cultivated next morning.
The primary cultures on neutral-red agar from six
of these mussels gave the following results :—
Mussel. | Number of ‘‘ Colon-like’’ Colonies.
1 10
2, 5
3 | 15 (also several diffuse red patches)
4 | i ( ditto ditto )
5 un id
6 2?
Ten of these colonies were selected for further study
in pure sub-culture. Five of them were proved to have
been produced by BP. colt.
The paper collected was then examined. Plates of
neutral-red agar were poured and small pieces of the
paper were taken up by sterile forceps and stroked along
the surface of the medium. ‘The plates were then
incubated in the usual manner. ‘The results were :—
Plate. | No. of ‘‘Colon-like’’ Colonies.
1 7 (also 8 white colonies).
2 14 (with many white colonies)
3 Numerous and fused along the strokes.
262 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Plates 1 and 2 contained B. colt.
Various white colonies were also studied in pure sub-
culture, but none was identified. A bacillus was isolated
from plate 2 which produced simple acidity in bile-salt,
elucose broth, and in glucose broth, no reaction with
lactose, mannose, sucrose, or glycerine, and acidity and
clotting in milk. Mr. Lewis, of the Pathological Depart-
ment in the University of Liverpool, informed me that
those reactions are identical with those produced by a
bacillus which he isolated from one of the South African
War infected Army blankets, examined some time ago.
This, therefore, is most probably also a microbe of
intestinal origin.
All the anzrobic milk cultures made gave the typical
enteritidis reaction. |
It was concluded then that the mussels from both
Crook Skear and Bazil Point were infected with sewage
matters. This conclusion is thoroughly borne out by
Mr. Scott’s and my own examination of the conditions of
the beds, and by the study of the bacteria adhering to the
paper picked up from the sands. At the same time
comparison with the results obtained in the analysis of the
Egremont mussels shows that the degree of pollution of
the Lune mussel beds is not excessive.
IVY. Deep-Sea Oysters.
During the summer of 1904 Professor Herdman sug-
eested that a bacteriological examination of oysters and
ather shellfish than mussels, from sources which might
reasonably be regarded as free from sewage pollution,
should be made in order to afford a comparison with the
results obtained from mussels taken from inshore areas.
Accordingly I collected and examined several samples of
oysters from various off-shore grounds. The first analysis
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 263
of this kind that was made was one of the stomach
contents of shrimps from the Blackpool closed ground.
On 11th June, 1904, while trawling there I took back
half-a-dozen shrimps to the laboratory. The stomachs
and livers of these animals were dissected out with sterile
scissors and forceps and put into a small beaker and mixed
with 6 ce. of sterile water. Various quantities of this
emulsion were then inoculated in neutral-red agar liquid
at 42° C. This was poured into Petri dishes and allowed
to set and then incubated. The results were :—
Number of
| “* Colon-like ’’ Colonies.
2 cc.of emulsion(= 1 shrimp) | 1 surface, 4 deep.
Lae Sea) a gee ee
a ee (Seth | 1 deep.
GOL. ,, . (Seth ene Sterile.
Six of these colonies, ascribed to B. coli (or its
congeners) were then studied in pure sub-culture. In
no case were reactions typical of this organism obtained.
All the reactions obtained were such as might be ascribed
to staphylococci, or organisms of ubiquitous distribution.
The results of this analysis were, therefore, ambiguous,
and no opportunity has yet been found to repeat it.
Deep-sea Oysters from near Liverpool
NOW. brohtehip.
On July 6th, 1904, a special visit was made in the
“John Fell” to the grounds im the vicinity of the Liver-
pool N.W. Lightship in order to get a sample of oysters
for analysis. This ground was selected because oysters
264 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
in abundance can always be obtained here, and further
because it is a good distance (12 miles) from land, and
so fairly free from the influence of fresh water which
might contain sewage microbes. Nevertheless, we ex-
pected to find some traces of sewage bacteria here, since
the hoppers carrying dredged material from the Mersey
Docks deposit this not far from the lightship. Trawls or
dredges used here usually bring up broken earthenware
and other hke débris. After several trials with a large
dredge we found plenty of oysters a mile or two South by
West of the ship, in five fathoms of water, and on a
eravelly bottom. About a dozen were brought back the
same evening and stored during the night in a large clean
elass vessel, standing in a large basin and surrounded by
broken ice. The primary inoculations were made early
next morning. ‘The oysters were well scrubbed under the
tap and opened with a sterile oyster knife. They were
all large and very fat fish. The liquid in the pallial
cavity was then drained off; a crucial incision was made
through the visceral mass so as to open up the stomach
cavity, and from the liquid which filled up the cut so
made 0°25 cc. was withdrawn with a sterile pipette and
inoculated on the surface of neutral-red agar. An equal
quantity was also inoculated in milk tubes and incubated
anverobically in the usual manner.
The results of the primary cultures were : —
Oyster 1.—Sterile.
55 -—QOne colony (colon-like).
oe =stlerile:
,, 4.—One colon-like colony.
3 oO Suertle:
») O.-— sterile:
The two colonies, both of them large, red and rapidly
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. DA GYS
srowing, were then sub-cultured on a nutrient agar and
examined in detail. The results were :—
oa: Bilesalt | Glucose | Lactose | Mannose | Sucrose | Glycerine he
ety broth. broth. broth. broth. broth. broth. oe
a5 Acid and | Acid, gas. O. Acid, gas. | Acid, gas. O Acid.
very slight (after 6
gas. days).
— Acid, gas. | Acid, gas. | Acid, gas. | Acid, gas.| Acid, gas. | Acid, gas | Acid, clot.
(in 24 hrs).
The broth and milk cultures were examined after 24
hours, but the glycerine cultures after 6 days.
Neither of these organisms is B. coli. Colony 4 is
most probably that of B. acidi lactict, and colony 2 is
possibly that of B. cloace. McConkey concludes that
this latter microbe is only an attenuated form of B. col.
Three oysters were tested for the enteritidis reaction :
Enteritidis reaction.
Oyster 2 aL
ae a
y © aig
Oysters from near Morecambe Bay
Lightship.
On July 21st, 1904, a visit was paid to this ground for
the purpose of getting oysters for analysis. A trawl net
was used, and was shot 1 mile 8. by W. of the vessel and
dragged to the Hast. Over three dozen oysters were taken,
and a dozen were brought back to Liverpool the same
evening and stored as before. This ground 1s far removed
from sewage contamination; it is about 16 miles from the
266 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
nearest land, and is almost in the fairway of the Channel.
The depth was 13 fathoms, and the bottom muddy. No
land débris was taken in the net.
Six oysters were examined early on the following day—
two of these had the gills choked up with a large mass of
‘black-spat” larve. One had vivid green patches over
the region of the viscera and heart.
A larger quantity than usual of the stomach contents
(0°3 to 0:5 cc.) was removed for inoculation. Six neutral-
red agar plates were made and incubated for 48 hours.
At the end of this period the plates were sterile.
B. coli (and other sewage) organisms were therefore,
absent.
A similar quantity of stomach contents was inoculated
in milk tubes, and incubated anerobically. The results
Welter ——
Einteritidis reaction.
—, milk discoloured, but not clotted.
-|-
Oo Fe © bP Re
—, milk discoloured, but not clotted.
On September 22nd, 1904, another visit was made in
the “ John Fell” to Morecambe Bay lightship. The trawl
was shot about 5 miles South of the ship. About a score
of large oysters were obtained, and from these six were
taken at random and put apart for analysis. They were
allowed to stand on deck for about 18 hours before being
landed at Piel. They were then analysed (at the Piel
laboratory) as before.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 267
Similar results were obtained with the neutral-red
agar plates. All the cultures were sterile.
Six aneerobic milk cultures were also made, with the
following results :—
Enteritidis reaction.
Oyster 1 —
ry 2 Acid and slight clotting.
ee ie
Ne: Ta
Bath Acid and slight clotting.
a6 =
This is the first analysis made in which one, at least,
of the shellfish examined did not give the typical
enteritidis reaction.
General Remarks.
The general conclusion that may be drawn from the
above series of analysis, then, is that: —
1. There is excessive pollution of the mussels growing
on the Hgremont mussel bed, by sewage microbes
of human intestinal origin;
2. The mussels from the Rock Ferry mussel bed are
also dangerously polluted, but not to the same
degree as in the case of the Egremont fish.
3. The mussels from the Wallasey and Lune areas
are polluted, though not at present to such a
degree as to cause very serious apprehensions of
danger to the public health;
4. Oysters taken from off-shore fishing giounds are
unpolluted.
268 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
These conclusions are based on the presence of the
microbe B. colt in the stomachs of the shellfish examined.
This organism is not necessarily to be regarded, in itself,
as a dangerous microbe; but, being derived from the
human intestine, it indicates the possibility of the shell-
fish in which it is found harbouring, at any time,
pathogenic microbes, which may communicate disease.
The bulk of expert opinion nowadays is that B. colz is to be
regarded as the best indication of sewage pollution in the
medium (water on the stomach contents of shellfish) in
which it is found. It is frequently suggested in the
evidence submitted to the Sewage Disposal Commission,
that a different interpretation may be placed on the
presence of 5. colc in such media; that it may possibly be
derived from the excrements of sea birds or even of sea
fish, and that, if this be the case, its presence may not be
of serious significance. J am not aware, however, of any
observations which tend to support this (purely @ preore)
view. ‘The shrimps from Blackpool closed ground, or the
oysters from the off-shore grounds, which I examined,
most probably would have contained B. colz if their con-
tamination from such sources had been at all likely.
Nevertheless, except in the case of the oysters taken from
near the new lightship, in Liverpool Bay, the whole colon-
group of organism was absent.
The question of a permissible standard of impurity
has frequently been discussed, and we must conclude that
the creation of such is impracticable. In the case of the
Egremont mussels, from 250 to over 1,000 ‘microbes
belonging to the colon group were present in 7oth cc. of
the contents of the stomach of a single mussel, and of
these at least one-third were the true B. colz. On the
other hand, we have the oysters from the N.W. lghtship,
in six of which only two colon-like organisms were found,
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 269
and neither of these was B. colz in the strict sense. In the
former case there was independent evidence of the
dangerous condition of the shellfish, and the number
of colon microbes present was so great that we must
conclude that the degree of contamination greatly
exceeded any standard number of bacteria that might
reasonably be agreed upon. In the latter case any sewage
contamination to which the shellfish were subjected was
remote in point of time, and the number of colon bacteria
was so small that we must conclude the degree of con-
tamination was less than any reasonable standard of
impurity. But what is to be said of the condition of the
Wallasey mussels? Jlere from 3 to 21 colon-lke
microbes were found in 75th (roughly) of the stomach
eontents of one fish, and of these about one-half were true
B. colt. Some doubt might be felt here as to whether or
not the degree of contamination was a dangerous one.
But in this case the pollution is remote; the mussel bed
is, indeed, near a sewer outfall, but the liquids discharged
by the latter do not flow directly on to the bed, but are
probably widely distributed by the strong ebb tides
running in this locality. We know that the water of the
Mersey does contain B. colz, and it is probable that the
mussels are infected from this water, some of which
probably flows over the bed with every ebb tide. There
is no evidence of any disease being communicated by the
consumption as food of these shellfish, and, considering
that the pollution is remote, and that the actual numbers
of colon bacteria obtained from each fish are small, it is
to be concluded that the degree of contamination is not a
dangerous one. It must be remembered, too, that
probably most, or all, shellfish beds round such a thickly-
populated area as the English seaboard are polluted by
sewage to some extent.
270 ‘TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
It will be seen that such a comparative series of
analyses indicates the value of the method adopted here
for the quantitative determination of the number of
sewage organisms present in shellfish. Where topo-
graphical and other considerations render the pollution of
the shellfish most probable, there we find that the numbers
of colon bacilli present in the stomachs of the molluscs
are the greatest; and conversely where, as far out from
land, we should expect great freedom from pollution,
colon bacilli are either very rare or are absent altogether.
The direct incubation of material of this kind on neutral-
red bile-salt, lactose agar, in the manner indicated here, is
indeed the simplest, and apparently the most reliable
biological test for the presence of sewage microbes that
has yet been devised. A negative result is, undoubtedly,
a sure indication of freedom from such contamination.
It is to be noted, too, that the enteritidis test is far
less useful as an index of contamination than the B. coli
one. In all the analyses made here, some reaction
(though not always a “typical” one) has been obtained
from anerobic milk cultures, though bacilli of the colon
group may have been absent altogether. This is to be
expected, for in such tests we cultivate the spores of an
chlgatory or facultative anerobe of some kind, and
these spores are far more resistant than the colon bacilli,
and most probably have a very general distribution,
though they do not form a part of the normal bacterial
contents of uncontaminated shellfish.
Nore.—A question recently raised by the Chairman of the Gen.
Purp. Sub-Com. was referred to me by Dr. Jenkins, viz.: Are sewage-
contaminated mussels unhealthy? I have never seen any certain
indications that a considerable degree of admixture of sewage with the
water in which mussels are living does any harm to the latter. They
indeed appear at times to thrive on sewage.
a P
oo
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. OTE
EXPERIMENTS IN MARKING PLAICE.
By Jas. JOHNSTONE.
During the autumn of 1904 the Scientific Sub-
Committee of the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries
Joint Committee considered a suggestion made to them
with regard to the marking of living sea fishes, and
authorised the expenditure of £30 on experiments in this
direction, with special reference to plaice and soles. The
marking and liberation of living fishes is, of course, an
old idea, but until a few years ago it has not been carried
out on a really large scale. Many experiments have been
made on salmon, but with somewhat ambiguous results.
About ten years ago Dr. Fulton made some experiments
of this kind cn the East Coast of Scotland with regard to
plaice and obtamed valuable results.* When the Inter-
national Scheme of Fishery Investigations was adopted in
1902 by the North European countries, it became possible
to carry out such experiments on a scale commensurate
with the importance of the object, and various methods of
marking fishes were elaborated. England, Holland.
Germany, Denmark and Belgium have all taken part in
these investigations, and up to the end of 1903, 6,239
living plaice were marked and liberated in various parts
of the North Sea. Of these, 889 were recovered up to the
end of June, 1904.7
Various “ marks ’—vulcanite studs with indiarubber
collars, aluminium rings, &c.—have been employed in
* Report Fishery Board for Scotland for 1892, Pt. 3, pp. 176-196, 1893.
{ These experiments are still in progress, and the full results are
not yet published. See, however, the Publication of the Council
Permanent pour l’exploration de la Mer, Rapports et Procés-verbaux
Copenhague, Vol. 2, 1904, p. xxviii.; also Mr. Garstang’s evidence
Select Committee Sea Fisheries Bill (H. L.), 1904.
272 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
different countries, but the most successful form of mark
seems to have been that first employed by the Dutch
investigators and elaborated later on by the English
section of the international fishery research organisation,
and adopted now by England, Sweden, Holland and Belgium.
A photograph of a plaice bearing a mark is given
Tee Slee El ;
This consists of a bone button and a numbered brass
label fixed to the body of the fish by means of a silver
wire. The wire is about one inch in length and is 80mm.
thick. A small loop is made at one end and is bent down
at right angles to the rest of the wire. A bone button
about 2 inch in diameter is threaded on this wire. A
narrow hole is pierced through the body of the fish (flat
fishes only) about midway between the head and the tail
and about lem. below the insertion of the dorsal fin. The
wire is then pushed through this hole so that the bone
button is on the blind side of the fish and the brass label
is then threaded on the wire so that it hes on the ocular
side. The free end of the wire is now bent into a small
closed loop with round-nosed pliers, and the loop is turned
down at right angles. In making these experiments the
fishes are caught by a wide meshed trawl net hauled for
an hour so as to catch comparatively few fishes, and not
to encumber and damage them with a mass of invertebrate
and other debris. The fish suitable for marking are
rapidly picked out as soon as the net is hauled, and are at
once put into tanks through which a continual stream of
sea water circulates. After a few hours any injured or
obviously unhealthy fish are picked out and rejected.
The others are marked. One man takes the fish from the
tank, measures it, calls out the size, and hands it to the
operator. Another man records the size of the fish and
the number of the label to be used, which he hands to the
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 273
operator, who then affixes it to the fish and replaces the
latter in another tank. With a little practice all this
takes rather less than a minute. If the fish is kept for an
hour or two so as to recover from the inconvenience of
being caught, and if the hole in its body is neatly made
so as to avoid bleeding, it appears to experience no
discomfort. The marked fish are then kept in the tanks
for some hours so as to observe whether any ill effects
have followed the operation. They are then put into a
large bucket which has a “ kicking-rope” attached, and
this is lowered overboard (the vessel being slowed down)
and “tipped” so as to liberate the fish. When the fish
are marked in cold weather, no difficulty whatever has
been experienced in catching, keeping, and liberating
them in first-class condition.
For all particulars as to the above methods, and for
our first supply of the marks, I am indebted to Mr. W.
Garstang, of the Marine Laboratory at Lowestoft, and to
his assistant, Mr. J. O. Borley.
We began to mark plaice and soles in October, 1904,
and the following is a list of the places and dates, at and
on which the fish were liberated.
1. Luce Bay, October 18, 1904—50 plaice marked
and liberated.
. Ramsey Bay, half-way between Point of Ayre and
Bahama Lightship, October 19, 1904—34 plaice.
4. Near Puffin Island, North Wales, November 12,
1904—2 soles, 42 plaice.
4.15 miles N.W. of Great Orme’s Head, North
Wales, November 12, 1904—4 soles, 49 plaice.
9. 2 miles N.W. by W. of Newcome Knoll Buoy,
Liverpool Bay, November 12, 1904—53 plaice.
6. Blackpool Closed Ground, November 13, 1904—
5 soles, 78 plaice, 1 flounder.
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274 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
7. Luce Bay, November 18, 1904—1 cod, 71 plaice.
So that 377 plaice, 12 soles, 1 flounder, and 1 cod have
been marked and set free.
In order to advertise the experiment, 1,000 small
posters, and 2,000 handbills were printed. These were
distributed to the fishery officers of the Lancashire and
Western, the Cumberland, and the Milford Haven Sea
Fisheries Committees, to coastguard officers, harbour and
pier masters, and others. The owners of trawling vessels
also distributed a number of these notices among the
masters of their boats, and a large number were sent to
fishermen. The Fishery Board for Scotland kindly
allowed us to make use of their “ correspondents ”’ in the
Ballantrae District (Ayr to the Solway Firth), and we are
arranging for the officers of the Irish Department of
Agriculture and Technical Instruction to co-operate in
the same way. Several members of this Committee, and
other gentlemen are also most kindly assisting us by
receiving and forwarding marked fishes recaptured by
fishermen. == Ly, Wu
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Fic. 9. Plewronectes flesus. Dissection from the left side showing
the anal spine and tumour. Natural size.
ably pierces the skin. A very slight amount of rough
handling of the living fish causes the spine to start through
the skin, and in some cases to inflict a nasty tear on the
skin of the fingers or hand. But without this rough
treatment the point of the spine never in life pierces the
fish’s skin.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 295
The point of the axonost, even when it has pierced
_ the skin, never projects through more than a millimetre
or so. It is always very sharp. But the distal extremity
of the spine shown in fig. 9 is greatly enlarged, and
projects through the skin for some distance. Further,
its end presents a peculiar appearance, as if it were made
up of several spines fused together. The whole structure
is, however, solid homogeneous bone. The point of the
spine axonost has in some manner pierced the skin, and
has then become greatly hypertrophied.
The point of the spine, in the normal fish, passes
through dense connective tissue forming the ventral wall
of the body cavity. In fish with hypertrophied anal
spines, as in the above case, there is a distinct space
between the spine itself and the surrounding connective
tissue, and this space is filled up by the tissues of the
tumour. These consist of a dense black ground tissue,
not unlike a blood clot in process of resorption, and in
this there are a great number of small, round bodies, which
are the Lymphocystis individuals. The ground tissue con-
sists of a mass of small cells, with large nuclei, and here
and there 1 is infiltrated by large blood vessels. This
tissue lies between the parasites and towards the centre of
the tumour round the end of the spine. The parasites
themselves present all the characters of Lymphocystis, as
described by Woodcock, so that it is unnecessary to say
anything about them here.
The whole structure, tumour and anal spine, is pro-
bably produced in the first instance by the laceration of
the skin, caused by the accidental protrusion of the anal
spine. The lesion thus caused is then invaded by the
parasite, whether from within or without is uncertain.
The hypertrophy of the anal spine itself is most probably
the reaction to the parasite.
996 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
As a rule the degree of infection by Lymphocystis of
flounders from the Lune is slight. But occasionally a
specimen turns up in which the infection is very strong.
Pl. VI. represents a fish which was forwarded to us a
week or two.ago by Mr. John Wright. In this case a
large portion of the skin on both sides, but particularly
of the ocular side, is covered with single and multiple
Lymphocystis individuals. In this case emaciation of the
fish was very marked.
PEARL-LIKE CONCRETIONS IN FisH TIssvsEs.
In a gurnard (Trigla hirundo) dissected by Mr.
Chadwick, at the Port Erin Biological Station, there
occurred a number of small pearl-like bodies adhering to
the layer of peritoneum covering the intestine. They
were small, from 1 to 2 mm. in diameter, round or oval in
shape. Their colour is reddish brown towards the centre,
and light towards the margin, where the light is trans-
mitted through the substance of the concretion. They
were attached to the peritoneum by very delicate pedicles.
They cut easily, and in meridional sections through the
centre they present the general appearance of a decal-
cified pearl such as occurs in the mantle lobes of AZ ytzlus.
In no case examined were there any distinct signs of a
nucleus possessing any obvious structure. The concre-
tion is made up of a great number of concentric lamella,
which seem to consist of wavy bundles of connective tissue,
which stain a deep blue with Mann’s methyl-blue
staining fluid, in the same manner as ordinary connective
tissues. Round this margin is a layer of different
material, which has a slightly different staining reaction,
and which seems to be continuous with the peritoneal
strand which forms the pediels. Round the margin in
this peripheral layer are small areas where there are small
collections of densely-staining granules.
> 2 pee ee ir. a,
Pe at
wr
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 297
In one case one of these concretions was surrounded
by a nematode coiled in two or three turns (fig. 10). In the
centre round the concretion, between this and the worm,
and between the coils of the worm itself, is a quantity of
granular tissue. The whole structure is surrounded with
a kind of capsule, evidently derived from the peritoneum,
to which it is attached by a pedicle, as in the other cases.
—
Fic. 10. Pearl-like concretion with nematode coiled round it.
x 80 dia. E
These structures are probably to be derived from the
Tetrarhynchus cysts. In all cases the proximal ends of
these cysts are pigmented and attached. If the enclosed
larva should escape from the cysts, and the latter should
undergo a kind of degeneration, the structure described
would probably be formed. In one case the T'etrarhynchus
cyst contained also a coiled nematode werm.
FLOUNDERS witH Wovunpbs INFLICTED By LAMPREYS.
Flounders bearing wounds resulting from the bites of
lampreys are not uncommon in the Lune, though we have
not been able so far to get a fish with the lamprey still
attached. A flounder with such a wound is represented
in fig. 11. The wound was nearly circular and about
13 mm. in diameter. It was clean and showed indications of
healing, so that the lamprey had probably been detached
for some time.
SOCIETY.
TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL
298
“ATPUST[S poonpoy
‘Aoidurry Aq opeur puNoM YIM “AAANAOT,T
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SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 299
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES.
Prats III.
Fig. 1. Section of the anal fin of a plaice, made
transversely to the long axis of the fish and showing cysts
containing Trematode parasites. Mag. 50 dia.
Fig. 2. Gasterostomum, sp. Isolated from one of
the cysts represented in fig. 1. Mag. 82 dia.
Fig. 3. Gasterostomum, sp. Anterior portion of the
body, showing the dermal armature. Mag. 357 dia.
Fig. 4. Gasterostomum, sp. Section of the skin
parallel to the long axis of the body, showing the spines.
Fig. 5. Gasterostomum, sp. Section of the skin,
transverse to the long axis of the body showing the spines.
Fig. 6. Gasterostomum, sp. Oblique surface view
of the spines.
Fig. 16. Gasterostomum, sp. Corpuscles from the
interior of a cyst.
Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 16—Zeiss apo. 1°5 m. oil imm. lens.
Prarn LV
Big. 7. Gasterostomum gracdlescens. Specimen from
the brain of the cod. Mag. 80 dia.
Fig. 8. Gasterostomum gracilescens. Kneysted larva
from the brain of Phycis. Mag. 80 dia.
Fig. 9. Distomum valdeinflatum. Larva still enclosed
within the inner cyst. Mag. about 100 dia.
Fig. 10. Destomum valdeinflatum. Larva isolated
from the cyst. Mag. 82 dia.
Fig. ll. Gasterostomum gracilescens. Part of the
skin showing the dermal armature. Zeiss 15 mm. apo.
oil immers.
3800 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Pirate V.
Fig. 12. Tetrarhynchus tetrabothrius. Head and neck.
Mag. 46 dia.
Fig. 15. Cercaria fissicauda. Cercaria isolated from
Cardium edule. Magnified.
Fig. 14. Distomum valdeinflatum. Head, showing
the armature of head and neck. Mag. 233 dia.
Fig. 15. Distomum valdeinflatum. Larva still
enclosed in outer and inner cysts. Mag. 40 dia.
Prats Vie
“ Lymphocystiasis.” Flounder (Plewronectes flesus)
infected with the Sporozoan Lymphocystis johnstonez,
Woodcock. Slightly reduced. Photograph by A. Scott.
REFERENCE LETTERS.
Ant.sk. = Anterior sucker. Pb. = Proboscis.
Cy. = Cyst wall. Pb.sh. = Proboscis sheath.
Cy.Hxt. = External cyst. Par. = Parasite.
Cy.Int. = Internal cyst. Sp. = Spine.
Cir. = Cirrus. Te. = Testis.
Con.b. = Contractile bulb. Ut. = Uterus.
Int. = Intestine. it. = Vitellarium.
Or.sk. = Oral sucker. Vit.Dt. = Duct of the vitellarium.
Ov. = Ovary. V.sk. = Ventral sucker.
Ph. = Pharyns.
PuatTe III.
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GASTEROSTOMUM, Sp.
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Fies. 7, 8, 11. GasTEROSTOMUM GRACILESCENS.
Fies. 9, 10. DistomuM vaLDEINFLATUM.
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Fig. 12. TerraRHYNCHUS TETRABOTHRIUS.
Hig. 13. CERGCARIA FISSICAUDA.
Fies. 14 & 15. DistomumM VALDEINFLATUM.
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SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 801
FLOUNDERS WITH SPINULATED SCALES.
By Jas. JOHNSTONE.
While trawling in Luce Bay during November, 1904,
several unusually large flounders (Pleuronectes flesus), 14
to 164 inches in length, were captured, and on handling
these it was seen that all were scaled in an abnormal
manner, the greater part of the head being covered with
spinulated scales. Flounders on the N.W. Coast of England
do not present this peculiarity to a noteworthy extent, but
it is nearly always the case that there are single rows of
' spinulated scales along the bases of the dorsal and anal
fins, and that several rows of these structures are to be
found at the beginning of the lateral line on both ocular
and blind sides, but principally on the former. These
peculiar scales are not generally very obvious in our
English flounders,*~ but are much more common in fish
from the Scandinavian Coasts.
The fish referred to here (See fig. 11) is a male, 15
inches in total length. It was unusually darkly pig-
mented. ‘There were 62 rays in the dorsal, and 44 in the
anal fin. Along the bases of both dorsal and anal fins on
the ocular side are rows of spinulated scales, but these are
much less in number than the adjacent fin rays. The
greater part of the head on the ocular side bears these
scales, and there are patches round the insertion of the
pectoral fins and on the skin in front of the insertions of
the pelvics. The greatest development of these structures
is along the lateral line of the ocular side. At the
beginning of the latter are several rows of spinulated
“See Holt, M. B. A. Journ., Vol. 3, p. 197, 18938—5.
802 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
scales, and two rows at least persist as far back as about
two-thirds of the length of the fish. After that they
become less frequent, and disappear. On the blind side
there are a few scales along the bases of both dorsal and
Fic, 12. FLounDER, with spinous scales on head, &ec. (reduced).
A separate scale is also represented, mag. about 6 dia.
anal fins, and some round the insertion of the pectoral
fins, but they are much fewer in number than on the
ocular side.
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 308
The largest of these spinulated scales are found
along the lateral line; they are about 3 mm. in diameter—
a single scale is represented in fig. 11. On the anterior
margin is a depression, and from this, as a centre, are
several radiating rows of spines. ‘The scale is very thick;
ground sections shew that it is composed of dense bone
without obvious vascular channels, but with lacune and
canalicule. Between the rows of spines it is covered
with a thin pigmented epidermis.
804. TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
EXPERIMENTS ON LOBSTER REARLNG.
By EEC CHADWICK.
The following notes and accompanying figures are
based upon experiments in hatching and rearing larve
of the common lobster, conducted in the fish hatchery at
Port Erin during the months of July and August, 1904.
Female lobsters, carrying nearly ripe eggs, were
obtained at the latter end of June and the beginning of
July, and were kept in the compartments of the hatching
tanks, excepting those at the ends of the tanks, in each of
which a “ Dannevig”’ box was fixed. The first larve
were hatched during the early hours of the morning of
July loth, and were carried by the current of water
running through the tanks into the boxes at the lower
ends, from whence they were transferred by means of a
pipette to the boxes at the upper ends. Short lengths
of rubber tubing carried the stream of water from the
taps directly into the boxes, thus ensuring abundant
aeration and a fairly rapid whirling motion of the whole
body of water in the box.
From the above-named date onwards for several
weeks from 100 to 400 larvee were hatched during every
night until the number reached 5,000. They were fed
daily upon the finely minced liver of the shore crab,
Carcinus menas, and the edible crab, Cancer pagurus, and
for a time appeared to thrive upon it, but at the time of
the ecdyses or shell castings n:any died, and comparatively
few reached the “ lobsterling ” stage
Immediately after the rupture of the egg-shell, the
young lobster (fig. 1) is seen with the abdomen, or “ tail ”
as it is commonly called, closely applied to the ventral
face of the thorax, and the thoracic appendages folded in
SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 305
DEVELOPMENT OF LopstER.—1, larva immediately after hatching ;
2, one day old; 3, after first ecdysis; 4, after second ecdysis; 5, after
* third ecdysis. la, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, tail seen from above at corresponding
stages. All mag. 5 dia,
806 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
regular order upon it. The posterior edge of the telson
(fig. la) at this stage is rather deeply cleft. The
abdomen is at once extended, the exopodites of the third
pair of maxillipedes and of the five pairs of walking legs
assume their function as swimming organs, and the tiny
animal begins its free swimming life in what is known as
the Mysis stage (fig. 2). The carapace has a simple
frontal rostrum and a minute lateral spine on either side,
close to the compound eye. The third to the sixth seg-
ments inclusive of the abdomen have dorsal and lateral
spines, and there is a single minute median spine on the
posterior edge of the telson (fig. 2a), which 1s now much
less deeply cleft and fringed with sete. The first antennze
are unjointed, the second are biramose. The penulti-
mate and terminal joints of the three anterior pairs of
walking tees form pincer-like organs, as in the adult.
Thus constituted, the larva swims actively, with the
plumose exopodites of the walking legs and third maxill1-
pedes projecting laterally like oars, and the abdomen
rather strongly flexed beneath the thorax. This stage
persists unti: about the seventh day, when the first eedysis
takes place, and several new features in the structure of
the larva appear (fig. 5). The second, third, fourth and
fifth segments of the abdomen now bear rudimentary
swimmerets. The principal flagella of the first antenne
are segmented and rudimentary accessory flagella appear.
Little change is noticeable in the telson (fig. 3a).
A second ecdysis occurs about the fourteenth day,
and introduces the third larval stage, which presents
additional structural features of importance (fig. 4). The
first pair of walking legs are now proportionately larger
than their successors, and foreshadow the great chele of
the adult. The abdominal swimmerets are more con-
spicuous, and the appendages of the sixth abdominal
SEA-FISHERTES LABORATORY, 307
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Youne Lorsrer, or “ LOBSTERLING,”’ after the fourth ecdysis.
Mag. 5 dia.
308 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
segments appear for the first time (fig. 4a). The dorsal
and lateral spines of the abdominal segments are less
prominent, while two small ones appear on the rostrum.
A third eedysis occurs about the beginning of the
fourth week, and brings about still further changes (fig.
5). The flagella of the second antenne are now long
and many jointed, and resemble those of the adult. The
plumose exopodites, no longer needed as swimming
organs, have almost completely lost the setze with which
they were fringed in their functional condition, and are
much reduced. The dorsal median line of the rostrum
is serrated, and the two spines on its front are well marked.
The abdominal swimmerets are fringed with sete, and
are used in swimming; the telson (fig. 5a) has lost the
median spine on its now slightly convex posterior edge,
and a strong tooth appears on the outer edge of the
exopodites of the sixth abdominal segment.
A fourth ecdysis occurs early in the fifth week, and
while the larva (fig. 6) still swims actively, it spends much
time on the bottom and quickly appropriates any con-
venient hiding place. The chele are almost invariably
rigidly extended in front when the animal swims. After
further ecdyses they become asymmetrical, as in the adult,
and the appendages of the first abdominal segment. are
developed. The latter are at first of similar form in the
two sexes, but acquire sexual characters at a later stage.
APPENDIX.
DISCUSSION OF OFFICIAL FISHERY STATISTICS
By J. Travis JENKINS, D.Sc.,
Superintendent of the Lancashire and Western
Sea Fisheries District.
From time to time quotations have appeared in former
quarterly reports as to the weight and value of fish landed in
the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries District, these
figures being based on the monthly returns furnished by the
Board of Agriculture and Fisheries (formerly by the Board of
Trade).
The question of the efficacy of the protection to the
fisheries of the district afforded by the bye-laws of the Joint
Committee, obviously can only be solved by reference to care-
fully compiled statistics, and, with a view of drawing attention
to the question of fishery statistics, | have gone into the whole
of the statistical information available at present, and a brief
résumé of the results of this inquiry is appended. At the outset.
it must be clearly understood that the results here given are:
taken from the figures furnished monthly by the Central
Authority, and that no other official statistics of any kind are
available. It is a matter for regret that more detailed informa-
tion is not available, because, as will be explained below, except
in a few instances the figures throw but little light on the fish
actually caught in or near the district under the jurisdiction of
the Joint Committee.
The Central Authority furnish three distinct returns :—
(1) The title of the last available paper is quoted :—
A “copy of statistical tables and memorandum relating
to the Sea Fisheries of the United Kingdom in the year 1902 ;
including also a return showing the quantity of fish carried by
railway from each of the principal ports of England and Wales,
Scotland and Ireland, in each year, from 1897 to 1902 inclusive.”
2
This is a return printed by the order of the House of Com-
mons. This return gives each year the total quantity (excluding
shell-fish) ; the total value (excluding shell-fish) and the total
value (including shell-fish) for each port in the Lancashire and
Western Sea Fisheries District, at which statistics are taken.
(2) A printed statement headed ‘‘ Board of Agriculture
and Fisheries. Fishery Statistics—Hngland and Wales.”’
Statement showing the quantity and value of fish landed on .
the English and Welsh coasts during the month of (say) April,
1904, with comparative statement for 1903, distinguishing the
East, South, and West coasts respectively.
(3) A monthly summary of the returns of fish landed from
the Fishing grounds at the ports in the district. The figures
are written in a printed form. This is the form which gives
the most detailed information, and to which reference is most
frequently made below.
Report (1) is an annual one; (2) and (3) are monthly
returns.
The tables actually published in the present Report only
represent a very small fraction of the figures actually dealt
with.
The statistical reports of the Board of Agriculture and
Fisheries (formerly reports of Board of Trade) have been
severely criticised by various writers, notably by the
naturalists on the staff of the Marine Biological Association.*
From the point of view of the Joint Committee there are
several difficulties which, however, can hardly be attributed to
the Central Authority. The first difficulty arises from the
fact that various changes have been made from time to time
*Report on Fishery Statistics, prepared for the Council by the
naturalists on the staff of the Marine Biological Association of the United
Kingdom, June, 1896. (This criticism applies to Board of Trade returns
only.)
in the size of the district, and Reports are only supplied
giving the weight and value of fish landed at fishing ports
within the district. Consequently, while we have the monthly
statistics for some ports, Fleetwood and Southport for example,
for over 10 years; for other ports, Holyhead and Carnarvon for
example, we have monthly figures for five years only. From
March, 1894, to the end of 1899, monthly returns are to hand
giving the weight and value of wet and shell fish landed at the
ports of Rhyl, Hoylake, Liverpool, Southport, Lytham, Fleet-
wood, and Morecambe.
At these ports Board of Trade collectors were engaged in
collecting statistics relating to the weight and value of fish
landed. The value of the fish to the consumer is certainly far
in excess of the figures given. Statistics of fish landed at
ports or places such as Barrow District, not included in the
above list, are not available, so that the figures given may
safely be regarded as minimal values for the whole district.
It will be noted that the above list of ports are those in
the Lancashire Sea Fisheries District as varied by an order
made by the Board of Trade in 1894 under the provisions of
the Sea Fisheries Regulation Act of 1888. These monthly
Reports deal with both ‘‘ wet’’ fish (including brill, cod, hake,
haddock, halibut, herrings, ling, mackerel, pilchards, plaice,
soles, sprats, turbot, and ‘all other except shell-fish’’); and
with crabs, lobsters, oysters, and ‘‘other shell-fish.’ Asa
rule, ‘‘ other shell-fish’’ include cockles, mussels, whelks, and
shrimps under separate headings. In April and May, 1896,
we have the heading ‘‘ Kewins,’’ which I understand is the
local name for periwinkles. During the years 1895 to 1899
separate monthly returns of weight and value are given for
each of the above-mentioned fish. A minor point which adds
considerably to the difficulty of manipulating these figures is
that the forms vary, sometimes ‘the weight and value are
given in different tables, sometimes in the same table.
Nearly all totals given in the following pages have had to be
calculated, and the task has been a very laborious one, owing
to the way the returns are made up. After two or three days .
calculation a variation in the manner the return is made up
has vitiated the result, and the whole series of calculations
has had to be commenced over again.
For this period (1895-1899) no statistics from the former
Western District are available, consequently for all calcula-
tions based on a decennial period the Western District has
had to be omitted, and returns made for the Lancashire area
only (as varied by the Order of the Board of Trade in 1894).
It is thought that a comparison of annual figures should be
based on at least a decennial period in order to avoid
fluctuations due to extraneous influences, such as the weather.
It is to be regretted that the Western District returns have
been lost. From 1900 to the present time returns are to
hand for the following ports in addition to those of the
old Lancashire district (1894-1899) :—New Quay (Cardigan),
Aberayron and Aberystwyth, Borth and Aberdovey, Pwllheli,
Carnarvon, Holyhead, Bangor, and on the same sheet and in
juxtaposition Cark and Ulverston!
For a time the returns from the Western District
(including Cark and Ulverston) are made on a separate sheet ;
v.e., the old Lancashire area is kept intact, and consequently
there is little difficulty in abstracting the figures for com-
parison with the years 1894-1899. An innovation is seen in
the case of Cark and Ulverston; ‘‘ cockles,’”’ we are now told,
include mussels and periwinkles. This renders both
‘“cockle”” and ‘mussel’ figures for separate comparison
useless for the whole district, at any rate until further
information be obtained, if, indeed, it is at all attainable now.
The cockle statistics will be discussed in greater detail
later ; it will perhaps suffice to here refer toa paper by Mr.
Johnstone in the Lancashire Sea Fisheries Laboratory Report
for 1899, in which cockle statistics are dealt with (pages 97 to
110). In the case of Fleetwood and Liverpool shrimps some-
times include prawns. These prawns, however, are quite
different to the Western District prawn. The Fleetwood and
Liverpool prawns are Pandalus annulicornis. The common
shrimp is Crangon vulgaris. These are included together in
the following tables. The Western District prawn is Palaemon
serratus and is not included. In June, 1900, there is another
variation in the arrangement of the tables; all the ports are
now grouped together on one sheet, Cark and Ulverston
being removed from the Western District, and placed between
Fleetwood and Morecambe! In 1900 “other shell-fish”’ are
treated in four columns, as (1) cockles (including mussels and
periwinkles for Cark and Ulverston but not for other ports),
(2) mussels, (4) shrimps, the third column being sometimes
whelks, sometimes periwinkles, and sometimes prawns.
During 1901 there are ng whelks and no _ periwinkles,
except the periwinkles included as cockles for Cark and
Ulverston, the third column being always prawns, except
during December, when ‘‘whelks”’ is again the heading.
In January, 1902, ‘‘other”’ shell-fish are grouped in six
separate columns, periwinkles, prawns, and whelks now
being treated to a separate heading. In 1902 ‘‘wet”’ fish are
also treated in greater detail, and the order of the columns
again varied, this, of course, still further increasing the
diffieulty of extraction. In addition to the wet fish enumer-
ated separately from 1894 to 1899 (vide above) the following
fish now appear under distinctive headings, viz. :—conger
eels, dabs, gurnards, lemon soles, skates and rays, whiting.
From 1902 to the present year there is little change;
but, in January, 1903, further groups of wet fish are treated
to separate headings, viz. :—sparling, catfish, megrims, monks
{or anglers), torsk, and witches. In April, 1904. the final
ehange is made. Cod, we are now informed, include codling ;
and the monthly summary undergoes a complete alteration
in form, the quantities and values being now placed in
juxtaposition instead of being as before in separate tables.
Sparling are now omitted, and ‘all other” wet fish include
salmon. According to the Central Authority returns, it
appears that, during the fifteen months sparling statistics
were collected, sparling were only once landed in the Lan-
cashire and Western Sea Fisheries District, namely, 2 cwts.
in Liverpool, in July, 1903.
It is not intended that the above remarks should in any way
reflect on the Central Authority, who have had to deal with a
difficult problem with inadequate financial aid; the notes are
made simply with a view of pointing out the difficulties of
selecting suitable material for presentation in a report of this
kind.
A second difficulty in dealing with the Lancashire and
Western Sea Fisheries area, and to the present writer a far
more important one than the first, is that the fish landed at the
above-mentioned ports do not represent the fish caught within
or even adjacent to the area under the Committee’s jurisdiction.
The steam trawlers which land their catches at Fleetwood and
Liverpool go as far as the 8. W. Coast of Ireland or even to the
Bay of Biscay, and there is no attempt made in the returns to
discriminate between such fish and fish captured within the
Irish Sea area, much less within the three mile limit.
In addition to the above there have been, at various times,
foreign steam trawlers fishing in the Firth of Clyde in an area
closed to British steam trawling. The fish caught by some
of these trawlers in the Firth of Clyde is landed at Fleetwood
and is included in the returns sent by the Central Authority.
Of course these returns only affect certain classes of fish,
but until some discrimination is made between fish caught
within the Irish Sea area and fish caught outside, the reports
of the Central Authority will have no value for our purpose.
Other classes of fish, notably shrimps, are not affected by
this criticism and can be and are discussed below. It is of the
utmost importance that some attempt should be made at the
earliest possible opportunity to discriminate between fish caught
within the Irish Sea area and fish from the Bay of Biscay,
Firth of Clyde, and 8.W. Coast of Ireland. It is to be hoped
that some scheme may be devised for obtaining information
from the masters of fishing vessels of all classes as to the
quantity of fish captured, and where (within reasonable limits)
such fish have been captured. Until this, or some alternative
scheme to that in use at present, is done no satisfactory or
reliable statistical information can be looked for.
The subject is one of sufficient importance to justify the
appointment of a Sub-Committee to consider the possibility of
devising some scheme for the collection of reliable statistics
for this District. This Sub-Committee, if appointed, could
enter into the question of the best means of obtaining reliable
information at the minimum cost, and several methods of
acquiring information readily suggest themselves. The ques-
tion of acquiring information direct from the masters of fishing
vessels might be considered, and its relative advantages and
disadvantages compared with the method of employing col-
lectors or utilising the services of the bailiffs to supplement
the Board of Trade returns. Failing statutory powers to
compel the masters of vessels to make returns of the quantity
of fish landed and the location of the fishing grounds, one
would be compelled to devise some system of payment to the
skippers for, say, monthly returns.
Such a scheme would probably prove costly, and if any
appreciable proportion of masters failed to make returns, or
rendered obviously inaccurate or misleading reports, then the
whole system would be vitiated.
If such a scheme were considered, an estimate of the
approximate number of the boats registered from each of the
fishing ports would be serviceable, and such an estimate ex-
tending over a series of 11 years is appended below. It
should be noted that the number of boats registered at a given
port and the number landing fish at that port may not coincide.
But for the whole district, with the exception of steam
trawlers, the number of boats registered would, approximately,
represent the number landing fish. Assuming, for the purpose
of argument, that it is advisable to remunerate masters of
fishing vessels for monthly returns, it then becomes necessary
to consider the amount of reward payable to each class of
boat.
Table showing number of Boats belonging to Fishing Ports
an Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries District, from 1892
to 1902 :—
ear, | Stet, | teeter, |e ee
Ist Class. ersygre
1892 8 118 487 220 n. Yr.
1893 7 | 121 504 213 nr.
1894 9 116 515 205 n. Yr.
1895 dah INE habe BORER 213 ner,
1896 29 | 102 514 214 ned.
1897 46 OT 503 221 Mi, Oe
1898 48 | 93 505 202 241
1899 18 | 96 459 198 OAT
1900 19 95 429, 214 236
1901 20 | 99 413 209 235
1902 23 105 391 203 255
The above table takes no account of vessels belonging to other ports
which land fish at ports within the district. n. r. means no return.
The figures are collated from the annual reports of the Fishery
Inspectors.
Table showing approximate number of Steam Trawlers
landing fish at Fleetwood and Liverpool, 1890—1902 :—
1890/1891]1892|1893/1894/1895 1896 189711898 1899119001190111902
| |
miceuwean | s--. | --. | 11 | 1f | 10 | 21 | 19 | 36 | 40 |, 8 | 25 | 39 | ZL
Liverpool.., 5 | 74-13 | 12 | 18 | 18 | 17 20 92 | 22 | 17 | 16 | 20
Another method of procedure would be for the bailiffs to
collect information. At present the bailiffs send in quarterly
reports giving the average catches per tide or per voyage (for
all kinds of fishing) as the case may be, and also the average
price. A slight addition giving the average number of men
or boats fishing would enable calculations to be made which
would be interesting for comparison with the Central
Authority’s figures. This addition to the present quarterly
return would not ensure much additional labour to the bailiffs.
A table showing the approximate number of boats and hands
in each bailiffs division is given below. It is interesting to
compare this table with the table issued by the Central
Authority showing the number of boats registered at ports
within the area.
Table (prepared in July, 1903) showing the approximate
numbers of boats and hands employed in the Lancashire and
Western Sea Fisheries District :—
sa of | Nos. of | Totals.
Boats p2tcs || Boats. |, Ment
FLEETWOOD DIvis1on— 7 | |
ist Class Sailing Boats... so 48 240
fide. 4, ue RES ee SG Mao
ord. % 3 ve 4 4
10
Nos. of | Nos. of Total. |
Boats. | Men. Benin | ——
Steam Trawlers
Shore Fishermen...
New Bricuton Division— oa | aaa
1st Class Sailing Boats... |
Ziad.) iss bf 3
ara" y; 4 i
BEGG) nee tke NGS |
Steam Trawlers |
Shore Fishermen ... |
276 944
CARNARVON DIVISION—
1st Class Sailing Boats... E- 7 28
ona”; B 5 he YES at 28 61
BEd. "55 rs 7
3rd (a) ,, is oe Palas ooe| F241 241
Steam Trawlers ... aes ¥ 1 4
Shore Fishermen... as or os {68
277 402
PWLLHELI DIvIsIoN—
1st Class Sailing Boats ... ek 8 24
PY ee io raaet- we 20 43
Std “4,3 . eto abe 23 | 46
3rd (a) ,, : oe eee 75 «| ae
Steam Trawlers
Shore Fishermen... eee eR. an ise
ae font = 126 468
11
Nos. of | Nos. of Total.
Boats. Men. Ba Mog
ABERDOVEY DrIvIsIon—
1st Class Sailing Boats... fe 6 23
ae 5: “ Pre 25 am
oo se as ieee i 3 6
3rd (a) ,, "3 eee ass 40 40
Steam Trawlers ...
Shore Fishermen... ix a2 Aad 140
——- - 74 306
New Quay Division—
1st Class Sailing Boats... a 2 7
fad) ..., ms ee = 4 9
21) ee a a) 13 26
3rd (a),, $s wae vase A 49 147
Steam Trawlers ... See ve ee ee |
Shore Fishermen... at re ‘ii 137
ee 68 | 326
1187 | 3724
* Men and women.
+ This number is apparently exaggerated.—J.T.J.
t Mostly women.
The Fleetwood division extends from Haverigg Point
(northern limit of District) to the Nelson Buoy in the Ribble
estuary. The New Brighton division extends from Nelson
Buoy to Rhos Point, in Denbighshire. The Carnarvon
division extends from Rhos Point to Nevin. The Pwllheli
division extends from Nevin to Barmouth. The Aberdovey
division from Barmouth to Aberystwyth, and the New Quay
division from Aberystwyth to Cemmaes Head (southern
extremity of District).
12
ist Class Boats.—15 tons and over.
2nd Class Boats.—Under 15 tons register, but with sufficient deck and
cabin accommodation for the crew to live on board.
3rd Class Boats.—Under 15 tons register and partly decked, but not
sufficiently for the crew to live on board.
8rd (a) Class Boats.—Small open boats propelled by sails or oars.
It would, at any rate, be interesting to collect statistics
for, say, three years in some manner and then compare the
figures with those furnished by the Central Authority. Even
should the above or some similar’ scheme be found im-
practicable on account of the expense and extra labour
involved, it ought to be a fairly easy matter to collect returns
of fish caught outside the Irish Sea area (an area to be
defined) and which are landed at ports in the district.
Probably this might be feasible provided the co-operation
of the owners of the steam trawlers was obtained, and it
would probably be found more suitable from the Committee's
point of view than the attempt to collect returns on a much
larger scale—returns which could not attain to completeness
on account of Manx and Brixham boats fishing within the
Irish Sea area and landing their fish outside the district. It
will be noticed that the term Irish Sea area is often used in
preference to the territorial waters; since, although the Com-
mittee have no jurisdiction over the Irish Sea as a whole, the
fish caught there may frequent the inshore waters at some stage
of their life history, and consequently may be potentially pro-
tected by the Committee’s bye-laws.
We come now to the question of the figures already in our
possession. Can they be reasonably utilised to furnish any
record. of the Irish Sea fisheries as a whole? When one con-
siders what we have and what we might have had there is but
one feeling—that of regret.
13
In the first place, we have figures showing the total
annual value of fish (wet and shell) landed at each port in the
Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries district for 16 years,
and these figures show on the whole a steady increase.
No conclusion as to the Irish Sea area as a whole can be
deduced from a study of these figures, since even if one
eliminates the steam trawler ports entirely—Fleetwood and
Liverpool—one eliminates a large quantity of fish caught in
the Irish Sea, not only by the steam trawlers themselves,
but also by the various sailing craft, which get their fish
almost entirely within the Irish Sea area.
If one only had a reliable idea as to the quantity of what
T may call foreign fish—Bay of Biscay, South-West Ireland,
and Firth of Clyde fish—to deduct from these figures it would
give one some idea—probably accurate in an approximate
manner (and strive as we will our estimates must always be
approximations)—of the increase or decrease of the yield of
the Irish Sea fisheries. As pointed out above, this should not
be impossible in the future, though even then our estimate
would be based on the assumption that the Central Authority’s
figures are accurate, for it is hardly necessary to point out
that to deduct an accurate total from an inaccurate one will
not give an accurate remainder.
The question of accuracy is, of course, a vital one; it is
hardly necessary to point out that inaccurate tables are worse
than none at all. The arrangement of the tables is quite a
minor point as compared with accuracy, and as will be seen
from the facts detailed below, when comparison is possible,
the results are scarcely satisfactory.
For instance, the statistical tables and memorandum
relating to the Sea Fisheries of the United Kingdom for the
year 1890 (published by the Board of Trade, 4th March,
14
1891) give on page 21 the total value of wet and shell
fish landed at Southport and Marshside during 1890 as
£4,097. In the Report of the evidence taken at the
inquiries held by the Sea Fisheries Committee of the
founty Council of Lancashire at Southport and other
places (published by Parkinson, Preston, 1890), we find
that on the 22nd November, 1889, the Town Clerk of
Southport (Mr. Ellis), in his evidence stated that he estimated
the value of fish landed at Southport, Banks, and Marshside
at £16,000 a year (see page 25 of the Report). His calculation
was based on returns from the Railway Company of what is
sent to the various inland towns, and an estimate of what is
got by hawkers. In 1890 the Board of Trade commenced
making returns from Southport and Marshside, and in round
numbers their estimate is one-fourth of the estimate of an
independent person who, at any rate, must have been in as
good a position as the Board of Trade collector to form an
estimate. As another example, the district which extends
from Aberayron to the south side of the Mawddach estuary
(below Barmouth) is represented in the Central Authority’s
return by two pairs of ports grouped together, viz. :—
Aberayron and Aberystwyth, Borth and Aberdovey.
Mr. Davies, our bailiff at Aberdovey, has made careful
estimates for three years of all fish landed between Aberayron
and the south side of the Mawddach, and his figures are here
compared with those of the Central Authority for the same
district :—
Mr. Davies’s Return Central Authority
(Aberayron to (Aberayron to
Liwyngwril). Aberdovey).
£ £
1 oe S498 ila" Ofee 1830
OOS ROG We QO TE OOS ORE 1821
WOES UT Lia. 3427 otis 2507
£
Aberayron, Llanon,
and Llanrhystyd..Periwinkles... 70...
Aberystwyth ...Wet fish ... 2612.
Prawns 30
Crabs and
Lobsters... 20
Total ...2732
Borth ... Wet fish 40..
’ Crabs and
Lobsters... 10
Shrimps and
Prawns 10)
Treddoland Ynyslas
Cockle Beds ...Cockles 140
Aberdovey... ...Wet fish and
Mussels ... 310.
_ Towyn ... Wet fish 50
_ Tonfanau ... me baSS) i OraDs,
Lobsters,
Prawns 40
Liwyngwril ...Crabs and
Lobsters ... °- 25
Prawns 30
Total for whole district ...£3427
15
To set out the results for 1904 in greater detail we find—
Mr. Davies’s Return.
.Borth and he fish ..
Central Authority.
£
Wet fish .. 2353
Aberayron canes
Aberystwyth eam im 6
..No mention of
Llanon and
Llanrhystyd
Total £2365
142
Aberdovey... | Shell-fish.
...No return
...No return
...No return
...No return
£2507
16
One curious result is noticeable on detailed examination.
At Aberystwyth (including Aberayron) we have shell-fish
landed during one month only in the years 1902, 1903, and
1904, except £6 worth of prawns in July, 1904, according to
the Central Authority’s Returns, and this shell-fish consisted
of mussels landed in January, the weight being 1902, 96
ewts.; 1903, 191 cwts.; 1904, 40 cwts. The nearest mussel
beds to Aberystwyth are in the Dovey river. In 1900 and
1901 there were no shell-fish of any kind landed at
Aberystwyth (including Aberayron). Yet during 1901 the
Joint Committee obtained convictions in four cases of taking
undersized crabs at Aberystwyth. It is to be presumed that
where fishing for crabs goes on a certain amount of full-sized
specimens are landed. Mr. Davies gives £20 for Aberystwyth
for 1904 for crabs and lobsters, as against nil for the Central
Authority. Mr. Davies further states that every year 200 to
250 bags of periwinkles are sent away from Aberayron and
Llanon. No note is made of this in the Central Authority’s
return. It is to be noted that no .collection of statistics is
attempted by the Central Authority at Llanon, Llanrhystyd,
Ynyslas, Towyn, Tonfanau, and Llwyngwril, yet, according to
Mr. Davies, the estimated value of fish landed at these places
for 1904 is £365, including Aberayron periwinkles, which are
also omitted in the Central Authority’s returns. I have
myself, during 1904, seen cockles landed from the beds in the
Dovey at Aberdovey. There is no mention of these in the
Central Authority's returns.
Another example is afforded by Pwllheli. Here, be it
noted, there is a remarkable diminution from £20,444 in 1898
to £7,169 in 1903. So marked is the diminution that it
becomes necessary to look into the figures a little more closely,
when some exceedingly interesting results are noticeable.
Unfortunately the monthly returns for the Western District
previous to the amalgamation are unobtainable, so we may
commence with the year 1900.
17
The Board of Trade Returns for Pwllheli for 1900 give
figures for cod, hake, and ling as follows :—
PwiuHeELl, 1900.
Cod. Hake. Ling.
January ..... 47 er 12 Ee 10
February ...... 56 ee IY a3 10
March ...=.... 68 ee 21 fee 14
Jj 010i es eee 69 i 21 sae 14
EN ae ere 87 Soe 27 Las 20
SEWING 25 55 sios'ss 86 bat 35 ae 20
10) eee 84 se TE Sas 26
PRUCMS Us 0.10% 90 ae: 37 ay 22
September ... 74 ee 28 ates 14
October ...... vis) ae 31 ihe: 20
November ... 96 be 34 Eee 24 -
December ... 44 are 19 ae 12
These kind of fish were worth exactly £1 per cwt. during
the whole year.
On referring to the figures for 1904, we find no hake, no
ling, and but 3 cwt. of cod, value £6, were landed at Pwliheli.
Can this be a truly remarkable example of over fishing, or
can it be that the railway rates have caused the trawlers to
land their fish elsewhere, or can it be—I hesitate to suggest
the alternative—that the hake, cod, and ling of 1900 existed
only in the Board of Trade collector’s imagination ?
Perhaps some light may be thrown on the subject by
tracing the progress of this phenomenal diminution. Was the
falling off gradual or sudden, and, if sudden, did it coincide
with the appointment of a new Board of Trade collector at
Pwllheli ?
18
PwuuHEL!, 1901.
Cod. Hake. Ling.
January ...... 59 aoe 16 ce 13
February ...... ‘s}9) ste 20 sc 23
Maye s.25.4: 9: 94 Ae 37 ae 28
Aprils acl ae ee 82 wt 30 fe 22
Eh 84 ise 26 ae 18
JME: o.sehscas 63 nae 22 ves 18
Saily anette. 100... “See
PRUESY sfc 05. es 75 Te 27 ae 19
September .... 69 aes 27 se 12
October ...... 78 site 33 oy 23°
November ... 74 iva 29 one 22
December ... 47 ais 21 Ra 17
Again, in 1901, we find the market remarkably steady,.
exactly £1 per cwt. is the value of these fish ‘‘landed’”’ at
Pwllheli.
Turning to the year 1902, one finds the steadiness of price
and quautity of fish is maintained until the end of April, when
there is a remarkably sudden fall to zero, which is steadily
maintained until the end of the year. Now, it is practically
certain, that either the figures previous to or after May, 1902,
are incorrect, since such a sudden change cannot be due to
natural causes. From what one knows of Pwllheli and the
distribution of fish in the Irish Sea and Cardigan Bay, one is
forced to the conclusion that the figures previous to May, 1902,
are grossly inaccurate.
19
PWLLHELI, 1902.
Cod. Hake. Ling.
January... 83 Ss 28 ee 26
February... CH ae 30 ae 26
March ae 82 ee 42 a3 36
April... 2 12 ae 40 ae 33
September ... — a —— see —
@etober .«..... — i — ze =
November ... — se = pi: =
December ... == rea ase bad see
As is but to be expected, these remarkable statistics do
not apply to cod, hake, and ling alone, but to all other fish
landed at Pwllheli. The figures for all other kinds of fish for
Pwllheli for 1902 are given in the next table. The extra-
ordinary change in May is to be remarked. In addition to
cod, hake, and ling we find a sudden disappearance of conger
eels, gurnards, haddock, lemon soles and whiting, and a
remarkable falling off in brill, soles, turbot, dabs, plaice,
skates and rays, and all other except shell-fish.
20
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The same remarkable change is seen in the case of shell-
fish. Previous to May, 1902, we have no record of certain kinds
of shell-fish landed at Pwllheli. In that month the record
commences ; but the table speaks for itself.
SHELL-FISH LANDED AT PwLLHELI, 1902.
21
January
Number.
Crabs.
February ...
March
September
October
November
2834
1826
2028
1832
1684
December...
Lobsters
568
628
849
604
523
Other Shell-fish—Weight in cwts.
Cockles.| Mussels.| Prawns.
— pw
Peri-
winkles.
Compare this table with 1900, 1901 on the one hand, and
1903 on the other hand. Tables given below.
SHELL-FISH LANDED AT PWLLHELI, 1900.
Crabs.
1200
1200
2100
1500
Lobsters.
1600
1600
2800
2100
Periwinkles
(cwts.)
96
From January to March and August to December in-
elusive there are no shell-fish returned as being “landed ”’ at
Pwllheli.
22
PwWLuHELtI, 1901.
January, February, March, April, and May, nil.
June, 800 Crabs and 12,000 Lobsters.
July, 1,200 Crabs and 1,800 Lobsters.
August, September, October, November, and
December, nil.
SHELL-FISH LANDED AT PWLLHELI, 1903.
Number. Other Shell-fish— Weight in cwts.
Crabs. |Lobsters} Cockles. | Mussels. Ret Prawns.
January ... tel eens tL ee 8 65 32 si
February ... 4 oo | see “ 51 28 *
March ... she bss aes 4 25 8 :
April, | cigecinpsl $A@26 (ees teetO a 16
May oa ...| 38018 625 18 ihe 24 1
June sis ..-| 3160 918 24 us 24 3
July ss scl 2169 910 12 we 20 4
August... ...| 1476 698 14 ae 8 6
September in| Gt NO ap Meo 94 21 2
October ... ue ee oa 24 80 35
November aan whe he 20 125 30
December... gap —avthes wit 12 240 22
These tables show that during 1900 and 1901, and up to
April, 1902, no cockles, mussels, or prawns were landed at
Pwllheli, and only 96 cwts. of periwinkles in April, 1900, and
that during this time the number of lobsters landed always
exceeded the number of crabs.
Subsequent to April, 1902, we find cockles, mussels,
prawns, and periwinkles are being landed with a certain
28
amount of regularity at Pwllheli, and that crabs exceed in
numbers the lobsters. From what one knows of the local
shell-fish beds and the relative abundance of lobsters and
crabs, one is again forced to the conclusion that the Heute
previous to May, 1902, are unreliable.
Mr. Johnstone sends me the following note on the ques-
tion of the Board of Trade statistics of shell-fish taken in the
(old) Lancashire Sea Fisheries District.
STATISTICS OF SHELL-FISH.
The total value of the shell-fish landed in the year 1898
is obtained from the official ‘‘ Statistical Tables and Memoran-
” for that year by subtracting the value of the fish
landed at the Lancashire ports, exclusive of shell-fish, from
the value of the fish landed at the same ports, inclusive of
shell-fish, (see ‘‘ Statistical Tables’’ for 1898, page 27). This
gives us £29,475 as the value of all the shell-fish landed in
Lancashire (and Hoylake).
dum
But in 1895, during the inquiry into the bye-law proposing
to close the Burbo Bank shrimping grounds for a certain part
of the year, it was stated (and the Inspector holding the
inquiry accepted the statement)* that the value of the shrimps
landed in Lancashire was £50,000 per annum. In 1898,
with the assistance of the Fisheries Bailiffs, I estimated the
value of cockles landed in Lancashire for that year as £13,370,
and this estimate was probably under the mark. Therefore
we have :—
(1) Board of Trade value for total shell-fish, &
1898 st ... 29,475
(2) Fisheries eeainiieels ett for Pees
and cockles alone, 1898 ... ie 2 63-500
Now both of these values cannot be right | !
*See Report Inspectors of Sea Fisheries Waelend and Wales) for
1895, page 42.
+ Tb i is not clear, however, whether this was meant to be the value of
the shrimps landed, or of the shrimping industry. (I think this is the
value of the shrimping industry.—J.T.J.)
24
Then mussels, periwinkles, and oysters are also landed.
Oysters, it is true, are mostly ‘‘landed’”’ in the sense that
they are imported from America, and re-laid at Fleetwood and
in the Menai Straits, but they are presumably included in the
total value for shell-fish landed at our ports, which is given in
the Board of Trade figures.* Mussels must have a very con-
siderable value, for in some years over £2,000 worth are landed
at Morecambe alone. Periwinkles may not amount to much,
but they swell the total. Now, even considering the value of
shrimps and cockles alone, this appears to be more than twice
as great as the value given by the Board of Trade for total
shell-fish—a discrepancy which it is difficult to explain.
A consideration of the following facts elicited by the late
Mr. R. A. Dawson (I quote from an unpublished letter written
by him), may however suggest the explanation. In 1902 there
were 344 persons gathering shell-fish in the Lancashire Dis-
trict at nine places, the catches made by whom did not appear
to have been included in the returns sent to the Board of
Trade. The details are :—
Duddon Hstuary ... B nh ... 30 persons.
Barrow District ... ee site ose eng by
Kent’s Bank Be a ae ae st Ae ss
Grange oo we un sola ee vs
Arnside to Hest Bank a er «apy cae .
Lune Estuary - eu stot ais 5) eee 0
Blackpool to St. aed Ses ae wey 4
Banks District hee Me ves Meare |i) wf
Mersey Hstuary (Returns st suite are |
given only for Hoylake and Liverpool)... 81
Motel j2.. =“ sie w. O44 .
*The value cf American oysters taken from the beds at Fleetwood
for 1898 was £3,576. This amount should be deducted from the Board of
Trade value for total shellfish in order to arrive at an estimate of the
local shell-fish.—J.T.J.
- rf ¥, } - ei * si , i > ta
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oe
TaBLE sHowine Toran VaLuE or Fish (WET AND SHELL) LANDED AT VARIOUS PorTS IN THE LANCASHIRE AND WESTERN SEA FisHErins Ara
FOR EirrEEN YEARS.
1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 | 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904
g £ g Z| 2 £ 8 £ 8 | 2 FAteale sos (4p 2
New Quay (Cardigan)... ea 347 156 467 665 268 869 509 376 1,087 648 678 700 607 1,038 685 748
Aberayron and Aberystwyth ..| 2,530] 1,900] 2,007) 3,927] 3,126] 3,032| 2,467] 92576] 9,910] 2,941] 2955] 1,313] 1,915| 41,741) 1,6386| 2,365
Borth and Aberdovey ave one anes, 41,925 | 41,489 | 18,894 | 42,900 | $1,878 | +1,141 $902 | 1,319 $728 558 327 216 | 89 185 142
Pwllheli... us “3 cc Ne 11,395 | 15,504 | 16,935 | 16,794 | 15,407 | 15,993 | 17,401 | 19,941 | 20,444 | 19,183 | 17,183 | 18,051 | 10,659 7,169 4,587
return,
Carnaryon ... He aes «| 2,872 8,013 2,949 2,662 | 2,508 3,434 3,451 3,990 4,375 3,525 3,379 2,769 2,841 3,081 1,694 1,468
Holyhead ... aoe on «| 2,412 1,250 2,350 2,815 1,297 1,851 2,977 3,916 8,256 5,124 3,562 3,270 3,552 3,518 4,605 4,526
*Bangor oD soe oon «| 2,326 5,028 7,530 6,430 | 10,149 8,533 | 10,353 8,446 6,873 5,317 6,810 6,007 7,599 7,198 6,529 4,793
Rhyl... oh ae ase =r 950 1,077 1,059 1,557 878 107 619 504 434 362 418 305 500 314 410 311
Hoylake .. .. «. «| 20,896 | 25,701 | 18,837 | 16,908 | 18,144 | 17,471 | 11,232) 9,448 9,152] 10,526 | 11,885 | 13,048} 11,444) 17,644] 17,164] 5,861
Liverpool ... ose on +-.| 13,363 | 28,774 | 30,144 | 47,210 | 46,058 | 50,882 | 46,149 | 52,771 | 55,276 | 59,292 | 57,190 | 65,970 | 55,360 | 54,657 | 60,117 | 56,165
Southport and Marshside oat Ne 4,097 4,785 5,151 | 12,645 7,855 | 21,259 8,295 8,590 9,465 8.231 9,848 | 10,054 | 11,968 | 11,296 | 10,273
return.
Lytham an aay con --.| 3,101 2,185 3,048 3,088 2,920 3,115 2,791 2,083 1,955 2,534 2,653 1,725 1,884 | §1,679 1,392 2,324
Fleetwood ... aes cn +.| 32,490 | 40,213 | 89,020 | 63,151 | 74,973 | 74,069 | 99,189 | 117,819 |160,788 | 220,767 |103,091 | 125,064 | 140,436 |156,521§ 149,632 | 161,106
Cark ... eto aa a cof} INT) No No No No No 2,111 2,449 4,633 4,404 8,220 2,963 2,687 3,083 2,152 1,291
return. | return. } return. | return. | return. | return.
Ulverston ... on 2A cd] INK) No No No No No 2,021 733 1,668 2,060 3,252 2,469 1,846 2,221 2,052 1,019
return. | return. | return. | return.| return. | return.
Morecambe... ... «1 | 12,580 | 18,484 | 17,141 | 14,201] 11,075 | 9,026] 10,616] 8,432] 6,150] 6,141] 7,828] 7,877] 8878 | 9,807 | 11,307) 9,067
Total sss as| 93,867 | 140,148 | 145,780 |187,994 | 203,735 | 197,579 | 232,878 940/141 | 288,407 "353,678 | 233,643 260,828 | 267,270 275,218 268,025 | 265,546
—————— ne ee ee ee eee ee eee ee ———
* The statistics of fish landed at Beaumaris, Menai, Aber, and Llanfairfechan are also included with Bangor, except during 188). + Includes Barmouth.
{ Includes Barmouth for 11 months only. § Partly estimated. Iytham no returns for May, and Fleetwood no returns for August and September.
,
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25
Again, in the fishing season 1901-1902, the Board of
Trade returns for Morecambe showed that 1,373 tons, 15 cwts.
of mussels were landed there. But it was ascertained that,
in the same fishing season, about 2,250 tons of mussels
(nearly twice the quantity) were sent by rail from Morecambe.
With the exception of a ‘‘few bags’? landed by steamer from
Londonderry, all these mussels were taken directly from the
fishing grounds.
JAS. JOHNSTONE.
Having now considered the total figures—which can by
no means at present be used to appraise the yield of the Irish
Sea—it remains to consider the statistics in greater detail, and
this may be done in one of two ways.
Hither one may take a given port or combination of ports
and from the totals of all fish, both wet and shell, landed
arrive at an idea of the prosperity of the district as a whole;
or one may take a given fish—say soles or shrimps—and from
the totals for the whole district arrive at an idea of the increase
or decrease of that particular fish in our district.
Neither system is unattended with difficulties, and
objections obviously suggest themselves to either method; in
many instances these objections have proved fatal, and in
those cases the figures have been omitted. In other instances
the results are such as to justify publication; at any rate, this
much is certain—they are the only figures available.
Taking the prosperity of any given port first—the figures
are given in the preceding Table—we find that Fleetwood and
Liverpool have, on the whole, shown a steady increase—with
exceptional years for Fleetwood in 1897 and 1898. These
figures are expressed in a graphic manner below.
+001 £061 zobi 1061 0061 Géi g6gi L6g1 o6¢) $63! e6g1 26g: 16g: o681 68
4691
26
-_—
——
— =——
"100d WAAIT -----
*dOOM1L3 314. ———
Value of Wet and Shell-fish in £’s landed at Fleet-
Bus. 2.
1904.
iverpool during the period 1889
wood and L
27
The figures at the base of the plate show the years, the
figures at the side the value of the fish in tens of thousands
of pounds. Suppose one wishes to find the value of fish
landed, say, in Fleetwood in 1896, one runs one’s eye along
the lower line till the year 1896 is reached, then along the side
line until the angle above 1896 is seen to be on a level, or nearly
on a level, with the £120,000 figure. This shows that nearly
£120,000 worth of fish was landed at Fleetwood in 1896.
A rise in the “curve” denotes an increase in value, a
depression a decrease.
The sudden decrease in the value of fish landed at Fleet-
wood in the year 1899 is to be explained by the fact that early in
that year the steam trawlers owned by Messrs. Beaching and
Kelsall left Fleetwood to fish from ports on the Hast Coast.
On the whole, then, these ports have shown a steady
increase, this being due to the steam trawlers, who have, of
course, to a very large extent got their fish from distant fishing
grounds. Of the prosperity or otherwise of the sailing craft of
these two ports it is impossible to form any idea, since the
figures are swamped by the far more predatory steam trawler.
We now come to two curves which show us some
interesting results, and these are the curves for Southport and
Marshside and what I may call for convenience the Morecambe
Bay Area, comprising the ‘“‘ports”’ of Cark, Ulverston, and
Morecambe.
28
SOUTHPORTanp MARSHSIDE
----- Morecambe Bay Anca
1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 !901 1902 1903 1904
Fig. 2. Value of Wet and Shell-fish in £’s landed at South-
port and Marshside, and in the Morecambe Bay area
(Cark, Ulverston and Morecambe) during the period
1890-1904.
In both these districts the fish are entirely caught in or
near the territorial waters, so that for the greater if not the
entire portion of their life history they are protected by the
Committee’s bye-laws.
The number and description of the fishing boats proves
this, they are entirely second or third-class boats and con-
sequently do not fish at any great distance from the land.
The shell-fish are also within the Committee’s jurisdiction.
Assuming that the co-efficient of error in the Board of Trade’s
figures is constant, one feels convinced that the Committee
may legitimately be satisfied that not only have the fisheries
in the two instances not retrograded, but that there is on the
whole a steady and uniform increase, modified in the case of
Southport and Marshside by two exceptional years, namely,
1893 and 1895.
29
There remains for consideration the value of the different
kinds of fish landed at all the ports in the district. If the
statistics had been collected for the whole Irish Sea area,
to the exclusion of other fishing grounds, then we should have
some idea of the relative abundance of any given species.
One striking fact revealed by a study of the returns is
that hake is by far the most valuable fish, taken in the
aggregate, of any landed at our ports.
Value
In
&s
85000
15,00
65,000
55,000
4500
35,000
25,000
1
1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1800 1901 1902 1903
Fig. 3. Value of Hake in £’s landed in the Lancashire
District during the period 1895-1903.
This fish is, according to the returns, landed at Fleetwood,
Liverpool, and Pwllheli. Further inquiries revealed the fact
that Pwllheli hake was not hake, whatever else it may have
been.
Omitting the Pwllheli hake of doubtful odour, the figures
for the other two ports are given, month by month and year
by year, from 1895 to 1904 (inclusive). The tables are
SSS a a a SR SSN,
30
fish almost exclusively taken by
steam trawlers, and certainly, to a very large extent, remote
from the district.
ing a
teresting, as show
in
6928S | SPB'FO | STS‘Ph | OLF‘LD | BEF‘EF | BES‘OE | GS6'Z8 | STL‘6S | 69S‘OF | 606‘8S |" 1890],
ZOLT | 8196 | T88°S | e8a‘t | 8E9 OGO'T | 6LG‘T | 862°G | 086 10'r | requie.eq
€cL'3 | T98‘G | 920‘ | OFO'E | GOL‘T | SFE pe6'e | TOO'S | T6G's | OSs's |" JeqULOAO NT
SIy'y | P8c'p | T80‘e | LTe‘e | T6z‘% | O20 | L8L‘9 | O98'E | Gos‘e | OFO'F |" *** 10qQ0900
¢90°9 | ZTL'8 | 68L‘T | 809°S | OLE‘S | OBL‘ | SaE‘LT | 628° LT | OGG | CLEP |" requtaydag
EGFOL | 6OI'L | 961'S | GOT‘L | 62I°6 | GES‘S | T6Z‘9T - ZoL‘gl | BES | Sato ic " gsnény
919°9 || GLb’6 | S76 | BT9°e | TOB'9 | See | LSB'AT | BLE'9 | GAL) | O89'S |"* “* ~ Alne
6L8°8 | 6686 | 6FL'9 | Z96‘L | LLL‘FL | BTE‘S | G9T‘6 | Tee's | FOOL | 96r'e fe =" oune
Ors'9 | Sct‘OT | SOML | G6r‘e | B26 | GOS'T | T9OT‘e | GLE‘T | OLF'S | OOS‘E |" iN
698'F | 688° | 99L‘T | PLG‘S | 6TS‘T | S6F‘T | FEST | GLP‘T | 068'¢ 8616 |"*" se qudy
698°6 | 199 LGG‘G =| T00'S ~=| THE'T | POT‘T | TSh‘S | FSO'T | 688 BOG 0 si “Yous
GLG‘T | OOL‘T | 8LB‘°S | SOG‘T | Z9E‘T | SFB 096% | 980'T | LFF SOOT |"" Areniqaq
TLU‘T | 398 L39‘T | OL9 LLG ~—s| ST9 09F 6L¢ 20) 08h ne = Kee
hi 5 F F ai F 5) o F F i
FO6T | S06T ZOGI TO6E | OO6I 6681 868T L68T 9681 G68T
‘(HAWNVORNO[Y OL IAHY) LOINLSIQ] AYIHSVONV] NI GHGNVT ANV]T JO BOITVA
31
The fact that soles are on the increase is illustrated by the
next table of figures, and is also graphically represented by the
curve.
1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903
Fig. 4. Walue of Soles in £’s landed in the Lancashire
District during the period 1895-19038.
This fish is undoubtedly caught in large quantities by
deep-sea sailing trawlers within the Irish Sea area, and there
can be little doubt that for the last few years this fish has
increased in the district.
The curve exhibits a remarkably steady and rapid rise
with an exceptionally good year in 1898, which year it may
32
be remarked, corresponds with the maximum period of steam
“UL USYBY SOINSY TOBT yNq ‘poomgoo],q Joy sumngor oNN, ‘wey ATT WoIZ puvy 09 You suANger aqoTduIOD |
E $ LEL'SB | 6608S | T8F‘OS | OBL'BE | GSF'6T | FSS‘GT | GEB‘FS | OGT'ST | BLG'ST | GOS’ (°° 18900,
33 |---|
a 9 Gé8 S73 | 88hT | 9OET | 9Z9'T | BBT'T | LOP‘T | 9OT'T | 89g ROG ye Jequieoaq
5 al FELT | €00'G | 6991 | S038 | GILG | S68T | O89T | Ger | LOA'T j|sye it" 19qUeAON
g fe 988T | SOLS | OST'F | 6GL'E | SLES | FEOT | ESOT | POST | GOO'T | FEB | — *** 40qQo}0Q
ie 2 9L6°T | OLO'G [4896 | 999° | LLG | TPE'T | GOT'S | SFa‘T | 988 ORT iss qequieydeg
a 996°€ | SP6'T |49Z9'S | OLL'S | 8800'S | OFS‘T | 9FE'T | TOL'T | 368 66nq., Sic" “ gsnsny
é E 6cL'T | S00°G | 862’ | #E6'G | 988'T | OSA'T | T86°S | LAT'T | Ags‘T «LPT ja ome Aine
a cess | SI8'S | 93'S | 968'T | 968 PST'T | S40'S | 89 68h €00'T ho oume
8 4 960°F | T8L'b |+L9T'F | 8L3‘S | BIS'S | E00'S | B9B'S | GLB'S | ZOS‘T | S6P'T - ie Avy
g ® Cc6T | SSL’ | 688°S | O90'SG | ZLO'T | 680‘ | LOT‘E | L86 TST | TPP eS ea ao
fl : OSG'T | ZF TOME | OZBT | FZFT | 9Z8 cIvS | 098 ELG 18% Py te. UT en
2 B LOG'T | €6L 689 OsO'T | Goa 66F 882'T | §oP 86P 08% a Areniq o,f
= ; $56 648 G6 T90‘T | 60S 88 8se'r | PLE ITh Ogg ot, 8s ATENUB
ve ES RT eR a a eee
i eo POST | GO6T | ZOGT | TO6L | OOGT | 66ST | 868T | LEST | 9681 Sé68T
— |
i S ‘(QAISN[OUL YIOq) FOGL OL CEB WOUd AAWVORNOT ANV ‘GOOMLADIG ‘XVHLATT
‘LYOdHLNOG “IOOdUHAIT “AMVWIAOPY “IAHY JO SLUOG AHL LY GAANVI SHIOG AO MAIVA
33
The figures for plaice cannot be regarded as satisfactory.
A remarkable diminution is to be observed. Possibly some
explanation may be found for this, but from only four months’
acquaintauce with the district it would be rash on my part to
hazard an opinion.
|
1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903
Fig 5. Value of Plaice in £’s landed in the Lancashire
District during the period 1895-19038.
‘popnpour sa.insy TO6T 3Nq ‘poom4oo],q Toy suangor ONT ,
a a a)
34
c96'9 | 6S99'6 | B96'L | 908°8 | 9ZT'L | 9998 | PPL‘SS | FLO‘ST | 9GO‘LT | PIP‘OP |" eqog,
961 86L G69 806 | 196 O60°'T | LLP‘T | 6736'S | OTS" QpL‘g | — aequieseq
Gop OLE TES GIP 619 16? prS'T | 68e‘T | e6s‘tT | ogs’r |" | JO UIOAO NT
6LG OFP OPP 9ag 918 G8¢ 908° | Zes‘T | ST8‘T | 20s‘9 |" = *** 19eqoq00
ese | 29g 998% Tg8 699 LE GFL‘S | 08 gos‘tT | 6g0°F |" aequreydeg
69 8L¢ 6E8« 98h 69 66 SEG‘. | SGOT | LP8 L66-% 4°" gsnsny
96% 948 FSG 698 LEP eh coo | AGO‘T =| 69L‘T |-9ge‘g PF = Aime
029 LO 806 18% GEG 8h bGG GTO‘T | 696 rere a oun
908 OZ 82 91% P6E bOG OV Weeoe't | epe'h sPLORSD gen se KOT
GLP 98F'T | TOL 998 LLP G69 196% | Lgg‘T | 189 GEG) Si ort eachay:
L08 994°T | 89h 6F8 S66 103‘T | G99'T | pLS‘T | IF6 96Gmle- ais " YOIVTN
61h LOG'T | SOL 60T'T | 962 948 LOUT A7sO'L rT lenge est Avwen1q 0,7
€99 Sly fe wisOCe c s\2OROLs WAGST TL le TL deO80'S lope 'T. il gor's iP tLe a AVENUE
a g a eo pee eLise = a Sia AEE ne ere
FO6T | SO6T | GIGI TO6E | OO6I 6681 S681 L68T | 968T C68T
‘(H@AISAIONI
HLO@—AANVOMAOP, OL IAHY) LOIULSIG) WUIHSVONWT] NI GHANVY WOlvVIg dO ANIVA
30
The shrimp fishing industry certainly shows no signs of
deterioration as will be gathered from reference to the following.
curve and figures.
Valve
i |
e490
22000
{8000
16000
14000
12000 7
10000
1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903
Fig. 6. Value of Shrimps in £’s landed in the Lancashire
District during the period 1895-19038.
The ‘“‘ shrimps” include two distinct species, the common
shrimp (Crangon vulgaris) and the red shank (Pandalus
annulicornis).
There can be no objection to including these together
since they are closely allied crustacea and are both captured
entirely within or closely adjacent to the territorial waters.
36
‘YJUCU SITY} JO} UOATS SoTysI4e4s dutays on ft
‘LO6T 10} Sornsy poomyeoy,g opnjouy | ‘poyooye ATqvroorddy you eav szjnsoaz oY [¥409 O49 YIM porzvduioo {BUTS
08 e18 sooeld Omg oSoyy JOJ SoansSY oY} SV yNq ‘SpIVMUO COGT WiOIZ UOYSIOATA PUB xIeO sepnjout oq, SIU, »
a EE
063'02 | 600% | 188'T3 | Os4'ss | 990‘st | ozo‘et | gex'tt | gec'6 | Ten‘gt | LLe‘or | 1290],
! ——— :
6F6 OF0'G | GPL'T | 9OT'T | BOLT | GLO'T | OST‘T | Oa L6L 6tf Eo 1equie0eq
GLPT | 8963 | LO*'S | 000% O3L'S | TLO'S | PSB'T | E99 6g9'T | GOP'S |" 19q ULBAO N
G66'T OGL'3 Chr G, \Olroe | Gioe. flies | GOet. | Olt =| tere | oles “I *** 18q0990
8706 | F093 | SPast | SIT'S | seat | SLOT | OIP‘T | LIZT | L168 Coereel > requte}deg
gost | 790% | 8Bl'c+ | SOB T | OPer | STo‘T |-eeo'r | 980'T | PeO'T ' 6Te'L. «| “+ qsnsny
606% | 80c's | 8s9'T | L98'S | zeP'T | gee TPL 1g Geer | S09 T | > AE
GSGG | GLI'G | 629'T | 99'S | Guo‘T | SEL‘T | 966 POL =| S665 “eset |" "<> GON iP
SLVG | 9166 | 981% | G29'S | TOL'T | eset | OgO'T | T86 Seon. “| FS0°G a \** ss ABT
Sst | ALLEL | PLT | 88S | LIPT | S80'T | *FL8 Sh G88 OLE ES REED:
L6Z‘T | 1&6 S9ST | TOZT | 89L gos ogg 9g TOL'T | 86 o “* qore yy
78S 6IGT | SOTT | ZOL'T | 329 899 | 008 6GE TPIT H (nae Arveniqoq
SIFT | PIPT | TOL'T | SOr‘r | S96 109 =| ~«&&9 SLg QLE‘T | 908 se + ArVNUe p
a 2 | Rl ls (A
F061 S06T ZO6I TO6T | OO6T+ | 668T | 868T | L68T | 96ST G68T
‘PO6I OL CERT Woud (F681 40 UMAYO Tava], dO GuvOg Ad GHANANYV SV LOIMLSIG AUIHSVONWT]
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‘¢Cartmel District Weather
and Farming Notes,’’ which statements have been rather
THe Cocxue Inpustry In MorecamBe Bay.
During the last quarter my attention has frequently been
drawn to statements made in
37
extensively reproduced and commented on in the public press.
It may be stated that the following figures relating to the
number of tons of cockles and mussels sent away from Cark
Station during the last 23 years are quoted, and remarks
adverse to the Committee’s work based thereon :—
From “ Cartmei District Weather and Farming Notes,”
October, 1904.
SAND FISHERY.
‘‘Number of tons of cockles and mussels sent away from
Carke Station during the last 23 years :—
Year. Tons. Year. Tons.
NSS2.... SPAT 1894 ... bee eel
1888 ... sng PAaLeYs) IK) 38. weit. Mew
1884 ... ee S9Gr 2. oe a0
Nowy ane srg pOull IVS oe soo 7) AOU
IS8G6. 2... ‘hy § 662 INSISTS) Bee ee Oig
SS ve 040 SOS. ee lh28G
1888 .. ee O ko GOO) eelOag
HSS i c. , 2488 TON hae ale el alk 150)
econ. (6! Stel NGO 2pae | BLM Og9
SOL, 4... Sa DAS, 1908 . 885
1892)... ... 1684 1904(10 months) 711
USOSh..< lao
‘Weights in tons sent each month from November, 1903,
to October, 1904, inclusive :—
Cockles. Mussels. Flukes.
November, 1903 poet pW ie ok, Meme pt ye cd oe wy Aare Be
December, _,, SEA Oe Bence 4 2
January, 1904 ag Gory Si] OR ——
February, _,, tans toe 144 cee
March, re z../ 60 6 —
April, 5 504 6 —
May, x 35 — a
June, xf con Os == a
July, a) 3t — -
August, 154 — ==
38
Cockles. Mussels. Flukes. ~
‘September, ,, DON Pea he
October, ) J) ANS eo ga Ss =
6208 ... 904 31
‘Tt has been a very bad year for cocklers—the worst of
any since 1886. Mussels vary in quantity year by year even
more than cockles. In 1900 there were 2604 tons; in 1901,
only 98 tons; in 1902, 392 tons; in 1903, 171 tons; and in
1904, 90 tons.
‘‘Flukes have also been very scarce. In 1900 there were
348 tons; in 1901, 144 tons; in 1902, 78 tons; in 1903, 6%
tons ; and in 1904, 34 tons.
‘No weight of samphire was sent away in 1904, whereas.
in 1901, 3 tons; in 1902, 44 tons; and in 1903, 14 tons were
sent.
‘¢ Winkles are never abundant. In 1902, 7 ewt.; in 1903,
49 cwt.; and in 1904, 13 cwt. were sent away.
“The average weight of cockles, including mussels, sent
away in 10 years, from 1882 to 1891, was 1,924 tons per
annum; and in the 12 years, 1892 to 1903 inclusive, only
1,287 tons per annum.
‘‘This does not point to any good whatever haying been
done by the Lancashire Sea Fisheries Committee as respects
the Carke sands—quite the opposite, unless we hazard the
conjecture that if it had not been for them it would have been
very much worse, which we doubt. Can it be that there are
more seagulls and other birds which feed on cockles than
there used to be, encouraged by the riddling that goes on upon
the surface of the sands ?”’
And further, in October, 1903, we have the following :—
“There have always been series of years of extremely good
39
gatherings and then series of years of a great falling off in
quantity, as may be noticed on looking over the preceding
statistics; but since the Lancashire Sea Fisheries Committee
have interfered at some considerable cost to the ratepayers
the quantity gathered in the best years has never reached.
within several hundred tons what the cocklers sometimes
obtained before that Committee’s interference became so
active.”’
In the first place there are one or two rather misleading
statements which may be dealt with before one proceeds to a
detailed consideration of the whole subject.
The statement that the Lancashire Sea Fisheries Com-
mittee have interfered at some considerable cost to the rate-
payers is rather apt to create a false impression, and it may
therefore be as well to mention that under the Order made by
the Board of Trade under the provisions of the Sea Fisheries
Regulation Act of 1888 for uniting the Lancashire and Western
Sea Fisheries Districts, Clause 21 (6), states that none of the
said Counties or County Boroughs (constituting the district)
shall be chargeable in any financial year with a sum greater
than the amount which can in that year be raised by a rate of
one-sixteenth of a penny in the pound on the rateable value of
the property within such County or County Borough.
The above criticism also states that the average for 10
years, from 1882 to 1891, was 1,924 tons per annum; and in
the 12 years, 1892 to 1903 inclusive, only 1,287 tons per
annum. Nothing is said of the climatic conditions which have
influenced the fisheries during the two periods.
At an Inquiry held by Mr. John Fell at Flookburgh on
February 29th, 1896, the fishermen stated that in the winter
of 1894 and 1895 the bulk of the larger cockles had been killed
by the severe frost. A striking photograph of the state of the
cockle beds was published by the “Pall Mall Magazine” for
40
September, 1898, on p. 134. This photograph is here repro-
duced, thanks to the courtesy of the Editor of the “Pall Mall
Magazine.”
The writer of the article in the “Pall Mall Magazine”
says :—‘‘ The cocklers’ foe, the awful frost of 1895, when the
Bay presented a perfectly Arctic appearance, killed the cockles
1895.
FOE,’’
THE COCKLERS’
4]
by tens of thousands, and the cocklers, in order to make up
the necessary weight, took to gathering the small, half-grown
cockles, which process would, if permitted, exterminate the
fish altogether.”
And yet these years, with their abnormally low totals, are
included in a series of years the low average of which is
directly attributed to the Lancashire Sea Fisheries Committee.
It is now necessary to give in some detail the history of
these beds, of the various inquiries which have been held
regarding them, and of the bye-laws which have been passed for
their protection. On the 8th May, 1878, an inquiry was held
at the Temperance Hall, Ulverston, by Messrs. Frank Buckland
and Spencer Walpole.* It was ascertained that no less than
2,253 tons of cockles, worth £11,000, were sent away in 1877
from the stations on the north side of Morecambe Bay. ‘In
addition, it is estimated that one-third of the entire take is
consumed in the neighbourhood. The cockles, therefore, taken
every year on the north side of Morecambe Bay alone must
weigh over 3,000 tons and be worth over £16,000. We believe
that we are within the mark in saying that the cockles from
the south side of the bay are worth more than £5,000 a year.
Tt follows, therefore, that the value of this little mollusc to the
Morecambe Bay fishermen cannot be less than £20,000
annually. Yet, from inquiries which we have made in More-
cambe Bay, we are unable to trace any decrease in the yield of
this fishery.”
At the above-mentioned Ulverston inquiry, the fishermen
who gave evidence were of opinion that the gulls killed a great
many cockles. One fisherman said that the sea-gulls have
* Report by Frank Buckland Esq., and Spencer Walpole, Esq., In-
spectors of Fisheries for England and Wales and Commissioners for Sea
Fisheries on the Sea Fisheries of England and Wales. Eyre & Spottis-
woode, 1879.
42
doubled in number since the Sea Birds Act came into operation.
At Furness, on the 9th May, the fishermen also complained of
the gulls, and stated in addition that the cockle industry was
falling off. Though some of the statements are obviously
exaggerated, it is nevertheless credible that the cockle industry
may have begun to fall off ten years before the passing of the
‘‘Sea Fisheries Regulation Act of 1888.” At the Furness
inquiry a letter from Mr. William Wanklyn (written to Mr.
John Fell) was handed in, advocating a close time for cockles
on account of the decrease in supply. In the same letter a
gauge for cockles and mussels was advocated. Mr. Frank
Buckland, in Appendix No. II. to this Report states ‘‘ Some
check ought to be put on these sea-gulls’’ (bottom of page 214).
The next inquiry, held at Ulverston, was in November,
1889, when the Lancashire Sea Fisheries Committee was being
instituted.* This was a period when a large quantity of cockles
were being sent away from Cark (vide fig. 7). Mr. Fell at
the opening of this inquiry said :—‘There are no regulations
in force at present, and we have come to you to get you to
provide us with actually correct information as to the state of
the fishing interests in this estuary, in order that we may draw
up regulations which will generally help the fishermen. It
will be in the public interest, in so far as these regulations
should increase the supply of fish, and we come to ask you for
the information necessary to prepare these regulations.”
Extracts relating to cockles are appended. The Rey. Mr.
Rigge said:—‘ With regard to cockle fishing, there is a
strong desire felt by the fishermen in Flookburgh that the
‘jumbo’ should be discontinued; it is very injurious to the
fisheries, and they are very desirous that there should be no
*The County Council of the County Palatine of Lancaster. Hvidence
taken at the inquiries held by the Sea Fisheries Committee of the County
Council. Preston, 1890. Printed by Parkinson & Co. See especially
pp. 73-99.
43
S06} 206} +06} O06} 6681 868} L68t 9681 S68} 68} S68l C68} 168} O68} G688l 888} 88} 988) S88t P88t E8st
np
Se OE ovvv
o88t
009
006
007!
00S"!
0031
ool'¢
ooVz
Weight in tons of Cockles and Mussels sent away
from Cark station during the period 1882-1903.
Fig. 7.
it
‘jumbo’ fishing for the future, either long or short; but the
cockies should be got in the old way by using the small
‘craam.’ I think that would be very advantageous to the
fishermen if adopted.”
The following fishermen gave evidence ve cockling :—
Bowskill’s evidence: Had known sands a long time.
Made a fair living with cockle craam. Used a #in. riddle.
Cockles smaller than they used to be. Boards (presumably
the ‘‘jumbo ”’) first used five or six years since (1883 or 1884).
A good deal of small fish broken in using the “jumbo” The
price of cockles was better than it is now. I think the boards
have done it.
Moore had fished for 60 years. Had got cockles 12 to the
quart; now it takes a thousand. This state of affairs, brought
about by the ‘“jumbos.” They want stopping altogether ; it’s
most destructive thing ever made. What they ‘‘mash” and
do one way and another, they never give cockles time to grow.
They are destroyed before they ever reach a quarter of their
proper size. A seven-eighths riddle and make ’m riddle ’m
I should advise you to stop those ‘‘jumbos” and drags.
John Hall, of Silverdale, thought the “jumbos” ought
to be done away with.
The fishermen at Southport, Lytham, and Morecambe
also expressed themselves adversely to the “jumbo” at an
inquiry held at the same time at those places. The fishermen
were of opinion that a seven-eighths riddle would be suitable for
cockles.
The original Bye-law relating to cockles was: ‘‘ No person
shall fish for, take, or attempt to take cockles, except by hand,
or with a rake of the following dimensions :—Not exceeding
12 inches in width, and framed with teeth not less than three-
quarters of an inch apart.” (Vide Report of meeting of Joint
Committee, February 16th, 1891.) From this it will be seen
that the use of the ‘‘ jumbo” was entirely prohibited.
TYPICAL COCKLERS WITH THE “JUMBO”? SHOWN ON
THE RIGHT.
(By permission of the Editor of the *‘ Pall Mall Magazine.’’)
46
On the 14th September, 1892, another inquiry was held
at Ulverston by Mr. John Fell as to the working of the bye-
laws passed as a result of the previous inquiry. The majority
of the fishermen were in favour of the ‘‘jumbo’—some for
certain portions of the year, others for the whole year. It will
be noted that at this time the yield of cockles was on the
decrease. At this inquiry the fishermen themselves selected
the seven-eighths inch cockle as the minimum size which
should be saleable. At St. Annes, on 23rd September, 1892,
the fishermen also expressed a wish to have the ‘‘jumbo”’ for
three or four months in the year. At Southport the fishermen
still did not desire the ‘‘jumbo.”’ Asa result of these meetings
we find the limited use of the ‘‘jumbo”’ advocated by the sub-
committee appointed to hold the inquiries ; they also advocated
a craam with not more than three teeth. In February, 1893,
a petition, signed by 49 Flookburgh fishermen, was sent to the
Committee, stating that if the ‘‘jumbo”’ were to be re-introduced
a three-foot ‘‘jumbo”’ is large enough to supply the markets.
On the 22nd June, 18938, the Board of Trade Inspector
(Mr. C. HE. Fryer) held an inquiry at Preston with respect to
certain objections made to several bye-laws which the Lanca-
cashire Sea Fisheries Committee had submitted to the Board
of Trade for confirmation. Amongst these bye-laws was one
relating to cockles :—
“No person shall fish for cockles except in
accordance with the following regulations :—
F di - a
‘“‘(c) From the first day of November in one
year to the last day of February in the succeeding
year it shall be lawful to use an instrument
locally known as the ’ jumbo,’ which shall not
exceed the following dimensions: length, four
feet six inches; width, fourteen inches; thick-
ness, one inch. Provided that such instrument
47
be constructed entirely of wood, and be not
dragged across the cockle bed or be artificially
weighted.”’
The only objection to this was contained in a written
representation from Bolton-le-Sands, in which it was asked
that the use of the ‘“‘jumbo”’ might be permitted two months
earlier than date fixed. No evidence was offered at the inquiry
in support of this proposal, and the Board of Trade Inspector
saw no reason for complying with it. It will, therefore, be
seen that the Committee have at all times been anxious to
meet the fishermen or their representatives, and have, if any-
thing, erred on the side of leniency in making these bye-laws.
The bye-law of 1893 is that in force to-day, and it is, there-
fore, possible now to fish at any time of the year for cockles
with hand, craam, rake, or spade, and from November to
February (inclusive) with a ‘‘jumbo”’ of certain dimensions ;
provided that no cockle less than +8ths of an inch be removed
from a fishery.
The fixing of a size, below which shell-fish might not be
landed was made possible by the passing of the ‘‘ Sea Fisheries
(Shell-fish) Regulation Act of 1894,” according to which Act—
‘The powers of a local fisheries Committee to make
bye-laws in pursuance of section two of the “Sea
Fisheries Regulation Act of 1888 ” shall extend to
making bye-laws to be observed within their district
for the regulation, protection, and development of
fisheries for all or any specified kinds of shell-fish, and
any such bye-laws may provide, amongst other things,
for—
(a) The fixing of the size and condition at which
shell-fish may not be removed from a fishery, and the
mode of determining such sizes.’
48
On the 26th November, 1894, the Joint Committee recom-
mended the following bye-law be adopted :—
‘That no person shall remove from a fishery any
cockle which will pass through a square aperture
measuring seven-eighths of an inch on each side of the
square, or three and a half inches measured round the
four sides.”
With regard to the curve showing the weight in tons of
cockles and mussels sent away from Cark station, it may be
remarked that the bulk of the material undoubtedly consists
of cockles.
It will be noted that the beds rapidly deteriorate in pro-
ductivity, notably from 1883 to 1886, and again from 1890 to
1895, but they are evidently capable of rapid recovery, as was
the case between 1886 and 1890. The rapid fall from 1883 to
1886, and the still greater increase from 1886 to 1890, must be.
due to natural causes, since the Lancashire Sea Fisheries
Committee did not come into existence until 1890. In Mr.
Dawson’s Report for January, 1902, we find the following
statement regarding cockles and mussels.
‘Unfortunately, a number of fishermen will persist in
gathering the fish from those beds where they are most
plentiful, irrespective of size, and this floods the market with
small fish. It is more particularly at the northern side of
Morecambe Bay that this is done, and the men in that district,
I am sorry to find, take no care whatever to preserve the beds.”
While part of the rapid decline in productivity may be
attributed to the carelessness of the fishermen, part must also
be attributed to natural causes over which we have no control.
Reference has been made to this (above) in speaking of the
winters of 1894 and 1895.
One hopeful sign is the rapid recovery that these beds are
capable of making, and this is also exemplified by the case of
49
Taylor’s Bank (between Formby and Crosby Channels in the
Mersey Estuary) where cockles made their first appearance
about five years ago, and these cockles grew in about two years
to a marketable size; the fishermen, however, rapidly fished
them out of existence. Subsequently another small bed formed,
the last cockles from which were taken last year. It would
appear then that the present depression in Morecambe Bay
must not be regarded as permanent. As to the measures that
might be taken to expedite their return to a maximum of pro-
ductivity, a few suggestions are made below.
It would appear that some reason or reasons must be
found for the persistent complaints received from the North
Lancashire cockle beds. From a personal visit to these beds
one is forced to agree with statements made in previous reports
as to the destructive action of the gulls, taken into conjunction
with the use of the “jumbo.” The ‘‘jumbo” brings up to the
surface all manner of cockles—marketable and undersized.
The latter are left on the surface of the sand, only to be
devoured by the gulls, which frequent the northern sands in
enormous numbers. The excreta of these gulls is noticeably
composed to a very large extent of comminuted fragments of
cockle shells. I am endeavouring to get specimens of the
common grey gull in order to examine the contents of the crop
and stomach. The close time for gulls (except the black-
backed gull) is under the Wild Birds Protection Acts, 1880 to
1902, from the 2nd March to the 31st July, both inclusive;
but, on the application of Local Authorities, the Secretary of
State in England and Wales has power to vary or abolish the
close time for any bird or birds in any county by Order, to be
published in the Gazette.
The breeding places of gulls on the Lancashire coast are
shown on the accompanying chart.
In the Southern Districts, where the “jumbo” is unknown
and gulls are not so common, we do not hear of these complaints.
00
I am informed that the Wild Birds Protection Act was
extended in the case of Lancashire to gulls in September, 1898.
Mr. J. R. Charnley, F.Z.8., has furnished me with the
following information relating to the gulls of the district :—
‘With regard to Lancashire gulls, the herring gull
is common in flocks, particularly about Walney. It is
not known to breed in the county; it feeds largely on
shell-fish.
“The lesser black-backed gull is also common.
The great black-backed gull is much less common than
the last species, but is usually fairly abundant in winter.
“The gulls of Lancashire are most abundant in the
Morecambe Bay area. The black-headed is the only
species which breeds in the county, but it is believed
that afew of the herring and lesser black-backed nest on
the borders of Lancashire and Westmoreland.”
Mr. Charnley was also kind enough to mark on the
accompanying chart the nesting places of gulls.
Finally, the present brief report on the cockle beds of
Morecambe Bay area must not be regarded as conclusive. It
would appear that the cockling industry would be benefited if
action were taken along the following lines :—(a) Co-operation
among the fishermen themselves ,to restrict the output and to
obtain a better price for their fish.- Sale by commission to be
abolished. (0b) Steps might be taken to exempi all species of
gulls from the provision of the Wild Birds Protection Act.
(c) Reduction of the use of the “jumbo” to a minimum.
VaR
eS, S (
g
fr
aes R.DUDDO
ONG Lf
SY
Oy,
RS
ENS
WALNEY
MORE
Cockle BEDS SHEWN THUS=!- =
MoRECAMBE Ba
ULVERSTON.
WALNEY
ISLAND.
6 PIEL HATCHERY
MORECAMBE a
GULLERY LANCASTER.
MORECAMBE BAY. RUE. ts)
WYRESDALE
CULLEAY @
COCKERHAM f
FILEETWooD. GULLERY.
/
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a, ; J
=~ ae ra
CockieBEDS SHEWN THUS= x Be.
BLACKPOOL eee oe
Morxcampe Bay, shewing present positions of the Cockle-bearing sands (dotted), and of
the Gulleries (black).
Ege
‘*
—
—_—_—_———_—_—_}
—_——_—_
——=__———_