Notes

Abstract

SIR L. PLAYFAIR asked the Secretary to the Treasury on Monday whether any answer had been given to the application of the Marine Biological Association for aid in establishing a station on Plymouth Sound to investigate the marine fauna and flora, especially in their relation to the food-fishes of these islands, and for which station 8000l. had already been subscribed from private resources. Sir H. Holland in reply stated that this application had received much consideration both from the present Government and its predecessors, and a letter was written to the association a fortnight since in which the Treasury undertook in general terms to ask Parliament for an annual grant for a term of years in aid of their undertaking, on condition that their work should be carried on in full concert with the Scotch Fishery Board, to whom Parliament has already granted considerable sums for similar objects. In the view of the Government these two bodies must be considered as working together towards the common benefit of the fishermen and fish consumers of the three kingdoms. On the whole this is satisfactory. No doubt it is desirable to form a central authority for dealing with fishery statistics and the scientific problems of fisheries for the three kingdoms. But this will take time; and in the meanwhile it is to be expected that the Marine Biological Association will receive Government aid so as not to delay its useful work. The condition as to common action and harmony with the Scotch Fishery Board is very proper and is not likely to give rise to any difficulty. The leading and we believe only scientific member of the Scotch Fishery Board, Prof. Cossar Ewart, is a member of the Biological Association, and will no doubt co-operate in every way with that body. The Marine Biological Association is now a very large and weighty body, comprising all British zoologists. It is not to be expected that it should be controlled in any way by the Scotch Board, nor are we sure it would desire to interfere with Prof. Ewart's valuable researches. But there need be no difficulty, we should think, about consultation and harmonious action. With the expected Government aid the Biological Association will be able to spend the greater part of its 8000l. on building and equipping a firs,t-rate laboratory on the splendid site granted to it by the War Office. It will be able to carry out a definite series of investigations under the guidance of Profs. Moseley, Lankester, Giinther, Huxley, and other leaders of the Association, and may be expected, step by step, to build up that knowledge of sea-fishes which is so much needed. The work to be done will no doubt be thoroughly systematised and apportioned to different workers. It should IDC remembered timt ftie Marine Biological Association is not local: it aims at carrying on work on various parts of the English, Scotch, and Irish coasts, and in time, indeed, may become in all respects a national Association.