25

H.—l6

Mr. Young has classified and described most of the zoological material collected during the expedition to the Chatham Islands, which was undertaken by the Otago Institute last year. The results will be duly published i.ll a special volume descriptive of the work and collections of the expedition. He has also devoted special attention to the structure and classification of the New Zealand tunicates, an important but hitherto quite neglected group of organisms. He has also contributed a set of seven short papers to the New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology. For several years past surface collections of tow-net material have been made at the hatchery every week, but it has not hitherto been possible to have these examined and worked out. The accumulation of tubes became so great that further collecting was stopped last year. As no zoologist could be found in New Zealand, Australia, or Britain who would undertake the examination of this material, the Chairman of the Board communicated with the United States National Museum, Washington, and received a ready and cordial response. The Museum is prepared to work up all the Copepoda and Ostracoda of these collections, and already a considerable assortment of tubes has been posted to Washington. The importance of the study of these marine organisms lies in the fact that they constitute the most important part of the food of various larval fishes, especially of the Clupeids (pilchards, sprats, &c.). The stomach contents of all fishes caught were examined and the results noted. The station is now providing a considerable amount of prepared zoological material for use in the University, which meets all cost of collection and preservation. Cross-indexing of a large number of periodicals and journals has been carried out throughout the year, thus enormously increasing the value of the library to all scientific workers. A large number of valuable books and papers have been added to the library during the year. One gift of thirty volumes, being a complete set of the publications of the Puget Sound Biological Station, came from Dr. T. C. Frye, of the University of Washington, Seattle. A full set, twenty-four volumes, of the publications of the Liverpool Biological Station was also added. The New Zealand Board of Science and Art has placed the hatchery on its free list, and presented it with a complete set of the Journal of Science and Technology. The whole of the buildings, property, and plant of the station have been kept in excellent repair under constant and careful supervision of Messrs. Adams and Broadley. The iron piping of the hatchery building, and the windmill-pump which supplies the major part of the water used in the hatchery-tanks are both pretty well worn out. The Board would suggest, however, that no important work cr alterations be carried out until the station has been thoroughly inspected by Mr.|Hefiord. The Board desires to congratulate the Government on securing the services of this highly trained specialist, and hopes that his knowledge and advice may lead to a marked advance in the development of the fishing industry of the Dominion. I have, &c., Geo. M. Thomson, The Hon. the Minister of Marine, Wellington. Chairman.

4—H. 15.