Bibliographical Notices. 329 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. Histoire Naturelle des Potssons d'eau douce de V Europe Centrale. Par L^. Agassiz. P^ Livraison, contenant les Salmones. Oblong folio. Neuchatel, 1839. Natural History and Illustrations of the British Salmonidce. By Sir William Jardine, Bart. Part First. Elephant Folio. Edinburgh, 1839. On the Growth of the Salmon in Freshwater. By William Yarrell, F.L.S., V.P.Z.S., with Six coloured Illustrations of the Fish of the Natural Size. Oblong Folio. Van Voorst. London, 1839. The titles of the works which w^e have placed at the head of this notice will show that the interest which the Natural History of the Salmonidae has of late excited, has in no way decreased either in this country or on the Continent, and we sincerely trust that the indivi-duals who are now devoting their talents to the elucidation of the habits and structure of this family of fishes, of much importance commercially and possessing great scientific interest, may be enabled to carry on their investigations until the complete history of the subject is attained. At the commencement of the present century, the history of the British fishes composing this family had for a considerable period remained stationary. But then, various experiments began to be tried, with the view of ascertaining the time required by the fiy or smelts to attain a certain weight after leaving the rivers, which was very satisfactorily established, showing a remarkably rapid increase in weight and size. This fact, previously surmised, had given rise to the conclusion, that the young on hatching from the ova increased with equal rapidity, while the history of a little fish provincially known in Scotland as the Parr, created much discussion, and no little dilFerence of opinion, whether it was a young state of the Salmon or a full-grown and perfect fish. The immense decrease of the Salmon fisheries also called for investigation ; and although the habits of the species which composed the chief staple of the fisheries were prac-tically known to the Taxmen, the proprietors or their factors were not sufficiently conversant with their growth, migration, or breeding, either to impose salutary restrictions in the leases, or to check the in-discriminate and over-killing of the fish, which was almost the sole cause of the decrease ; the latter caused the appointment of various Parliamentary Committees, which published reports containing an
On the Growth of the Salmon in Freshwater. By William Yarrell, F.L.S., V.P.Z.S., with six coloured illustrations of the fish of the natural size. Oblong Folio. van Voorst. London, 1839
BioStor
