Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 22.djvu/436

422 of the most abundant of the flat-fish family, and promises to be an important addition to the food resources of the country. A second species of fish, known as the tilefish, and constituting a genus and species entirely new to science, was discovered during the summer of 1879. The most important item of the year in the work of propagation was the beginning of the distribution of young carp to various points in the United States. The demand for the fish was very great, even with a relatively small supply, and the calls increased so rapidly that it became doubtful whether, even with a much larger production, all the requirements could be met. Good progress is reported in the propagation and distribution of salmon and trout of the various species, shad, codfish, and striped bass. Among the valuable papers with which the report proper is supplemented are one by Professor W. G. Farlow, on the "Marine Algae of New England," containing technical descriptions of all the known species; an account of the cephalopods of the northeastern coast of America, by A. E. Verrill; and articles on the propagation of the eel, the food of marine animals, the Iceland herring fisheries, the periodicity of the great herring-fisheries, the herring's mode of life, the fisheries of the west coast of South America, the scientific examination of the German seas, the effects of sawdust and the pollution of waters by factory refuse on fishes; and articles and reports bearing upon more special features of fish propagation.

publication embodies the substance of a paper which was read by the author before the American Geographical Society, and is supplementary to a previous paper. The author states that he is "not hampered with any theories," and merely gives his deductions from the actual facts obtained by the Blake's party, which may serve to correct a few popular errors, even if they do not throw much new light on the subject. His principal conclusions have already been noticed in "The Popular Science Monthly."

is added to the report of the ordinary discussions of this body by the papers of Drs. Billings and Charles Smart relating to "Ventilation"; of the Hon. H. S. Jones on "Obstacles in the Way of a Better Primary Education"; of Professor G. Stanley Hall on "Chairs of Pedagogy in our Higher Institutions of Learning"; of Drs. A. D. Mayo and J. L. M. Curry on "National Aid to Education"; of Dr. Sheldon Jackson on "Education (or the Want of it) in Alaska"; of Dr. John M. Gregory on the "Common School Studies."

first manual, by the editor, is an effort to show beginners "why they had best choose one material in black-and-white, or another; and to tell them, by a few plain directions, how they can best manage their charcoals, crayons, pen-and-ink, or lead pencils." The directions are clear, and are complemented by typical illustrations, from masters, in each of the styles; but it would be better, perhaps, if the directions and illustrations were more conformed to each other. The second book is by Thomas Hatton, and is intended for the use of such students "as arc accustomed to copy watercolor drawings, and find no difficulty in sketching natural objects in black-and-white," yet need the instructions it undertakes to give them, to enable them to reproduce Nature expressively in her own colors.

have already called attention to the fullness and the other merits of this excellent work. The present double number contains the articles under the titles from "Schoberlechner" to "Sketches."