New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-12
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
ZANE AND FOOD FISHES OF NORTH AMERICA.

!. ,,rpro.v rrsurs. A Popular Treatise upon the
Gamc and Food FISHES Of North Amcrlca, win
..Fspccial Reference 10 Habits and Meuhous Oh Osp
,prc BY G. BROWN oooos s.,sard Rock Com
Illustrations PIP. xvi, 49o S'ahu"'~ OWN SNN
pany.
ANY book which places before its readers the
results of scientific work without Obstructive
secbnicalities is sure to be valuable. Such
hook is this of Professor Goodies Probably no
one is better qualified than he to write popular
,Voy,, mon American fishes. His wide knowieogc
of the subject in its various Aspects, 'he oppor-
,rr;,;os Of his official position, and his previous
.xncr;cnoc in addressing q popular audience III
him peculiarly for the undertaking.
This book is in a sense smaller replica OF the
Government work edited by Professor Goodo ana
nnblisbed few years since, but Tor popular use
POSSESSES several advantages over the iattcr. in'
Government publication, in two large quaroo Nof
umes. is not generally accessible, aAa' owing W
&c hull, is too clumsy for handy use or Tor
portability. The present WORK Is OIL con'enien,
size has the illustrations inserted in the text ana
n. matter has been selected very iudicousy, giving
enough Of the scientific with good deal Oh the
results, of angling and fishing experience as re-
cordod in journals of sport or taken from tne
aips of veteran fishermen
The scope of the book is wide. we nave 'he
aches NJ tho brook and of the sea; the fishes OF
both coasts of the great lakes ana Oh tne inianu
rivers: the sunny" or sinner OF our cmidhooo'
the salmon or tarpum Of our manhood alhoi'ioh'
Ahe fishes that rise to the fly and the hsneS 'nao
must be caught in the bottom 1--WE hao aiino'o
said on the mud, but the omnipresent eel seems W
have been forcotten) and fishes that are caught
in nctss Co.,,
All scientific diagnosis is omitted except In lew
Instances where as in the salmonldae ana eSocldac'
r. is necessary for the distinction Oh species
Nevertheless, whatever is stated IS sclehtlncahy
corrcst so far as the present state Oh ich'hy-
nlorv admits. Not the least valuable thing in
Mo boo, is the Gathering together of the popular
names used in different localities for the same
6sb Every angler has experienced the difficulty
md confusion which arise from this babel OF
Nomenclature The scientific name OF each hsh
;s alxo piven and the important species IN each
croup arc pictured, and by means of the picture
and of q popular local name any ordinary hsh
and some out-of the-way specimens are pretty cer-
tain to be recognized and properly placed. ITO.
fessor Goodc moreover, remembers that aIter an
many more persons are interested IN hshes as op-
iects of sport than care for them sclenthcaly,
and makes constant reference to methods of capt
nre as rractiscd in different places. But he does
not leave the fish when caught, but has opinions
10 offer as TO its value for the table, ana some
times follows Il to the kitchen with an approved
recipe for cooking it. All this matter is pre-
scnted in chatty manner which is never trlVlai,
and surprising amount of appropriate verse, old
and new. has been found to head the chapters or
to round them off
, The portrait illustrations arc very numerous and
very accurate, and arc nearly all copied from the
publications Of the United States Fish Commission.
Three full page illustrations are added a colored
frontispiece representing brook trout struggling
with rcd ibis fly; reproduction OF photo
graph of twelve striped bass which fell TO one rod In
a connie Of hours and which weighed over five
hundred pounds, sight to put strain on the
tenth commandment for the man who recalls the
fruitlcss tides he has fished OUT and third, from
an instantaneous photograph shows salmon leap
Ing fall, and is interesting as showing the position
of the fish in the act, which has no trace OF the
bncc traditional tail-in- the mouth.
Altogether, we know Of no book SO suitable to
the needs of any one interested in fish or fishing
who wishes available information thereon without
the accumulation Of library.