Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-10
New hooks.

eruIQblL OlhSc.
In this book Commissioner MCDONALD
sets forth the results Of the explorations
of the fishing grounds of Alaska, Wash
ington Territory. and Oregon during 1888
by the United States Fish Commission
steamer Albatross Lieutenant Command
er Z. L. TANNER, United States navy, COM
handing.
Also, the "repcrt of explorations made
during the summer and autumn of 1883 in
the Allegheny regions Of Virginia, North
Carolina. and Tennessee, and in Western
Indiana, with an account of the fishes
found in each of the river basins of those
regions"
This latter makes this work of great
value to yirginians and North Caro-
linians. The examination had two gen.
eral purposes-frst, to ascertain the gen.
eral character OF the streams In question,
their present stock of food-fshes, and their
suitability for the introduction Of species
not now found there; second, to catalogue
the fishes native to each stream, whether
food-fshes or not, IN order to complete our
knowledge Of the geographical distribu-
ton of each species, and to throw light on
the laws which govern geographical dis
tribution."
So we find in the report ian account OF
each stream, list of the fishes found in it,
and such notes, geological or economic, on
each species as add TO our knowledge OF
it," Fourteen new species of fish were
discovered.
Among the rivers and tributaries thereof
examined were: Potomac, James, Eliza
beth Dismal Swamp, Chowan, Roanoke.
Pamlico, Neuse, Cape Fear, Great Pedee,
Santee, Kanawha, Holston, French Broad,
&c.
The book has 500 largo pages and con-
tains many fine illustrations, and it is a
work that all intelligent disciples of Sir
IzAAK WALTON will be glad to have. We
suppose that constituents may procure
copies of it through their members of
Congress, and maybe from Commissioner
MCDONALD.
The Oyster A Popular Summary Of Scientific
Study. By WILLIAM X. BgooEs, Phi. D.,
professor of animal mythology in the
Johns Hopkins University, and director
of the Chesapeake Geological Laboratory.
Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press.
The author of this work, Professor
Brooks, is the leading American authority
on the oyster. Ten years of his life have
been devoted to its study. President DA-
MIL @. GILMAN, the president Of the Johns
Hopkins. University, wrote the INTRODUCED
~ note" and in il says the book is written
for the information of all who care for
oysters-no matter whether their point Of
view be that of providers or consumers,
Of the oysterman, the money-maker, the
housekeeper, the legislator, the editor, or
the student Of natural history. So well is
the book written that many parts of it are
az fascinating as a story"
THE difficulty that he sees lin the present
condition Of the oyster businessl is sum-
med up in a single sentence that he prints
in capital letter.-THE DEMAND FOR
CHESAPEAKE OYSTERS HAS OUT
GROWN THE NATURAL SUPPLY
The remedy he proposes is to increase the
supply by artificial means. To show what
is possible for the propagation and protec-
ton of young oysters he describes in the
most interesting manner, in terms scien-
tific enough to be accurate, not so scien-
tific as to be hard of understanding the
life history of the biyalve. The oysters
exposure to infantile dangers, its preferred
home, its dietary habits, its susceptibility
of culture, its wonderful fecundity, are
wildly portrayed. Indeed, this modest
volume is at once memoir in natural his
tory and a chapter of political economy"
The price is not stated.
The Voice of God In History. By ROBERT
Pollok KERR, d. D., author of Presbyte-
rianism IN History. &c. Presbyterian
Committee of Publication.
DR.. KERR has written q most interesting
and instructive book. Aside from its or
guments, 1t is rich in historical facts and
is calculated to stimulate greatly. further
investigation into the biographical and
other fields upon which he touches.
By Land and Sea. Edited by Captain
CHARLES KING, United States army. l.. X.
HAMMERsLEY d Co., Philadelphia. From
WEsT. JOHNSTON q Co.
This is book Of 200 pages comprising o
dozen different stories related by as many
"yarn-spinners and put into shape by
one of the most popular writers of the
day.
The Century Dictionary. An Encyclopedia
Lexicon. prepared under the superin-
tendence of WILLIAM DWIGHT WHITNEY,
Ph.D., LII. D.. professor of Comparative
Philology and Sanskrit in Yale Univer-
sity. in six volumes. Volume v. Pub
lished by the Century Company. New
York.
This is work to which We daily refer for
information, and from which. as our
readers know, we frequently quote. 1t IS
the greatest production of American
scholarship and is credit TO our age and
country. II contains moro words than any
other dictionary of our language. In
propouncing Il pursuss . sensible plan,