468 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



in this same brook, which now had about one half its ordinary 

 flow of water, and the frogs were dozing on the banks and leap- 

 ing into the stream as unconcernedly as if nothing unusual had 

 occurred. 



Possibly the above simple narration of certain facts may seem 

 to be of no special interest or importance, but there were two 

 features of it that do not appear to have been treated of in general 

 natural histories : the self-inhumation of the fish and frogs, and 

 the wonderful promptness of the return of life to the temporarily 

 depopulated areas. It does not seem unreasonable to suggest that 

 as long as these inhumed animals could retain their moisture 

 they could preserve their lives. Both the frogs and this one fish 

 can withstand prolonged deprivation of food. I have tried the 

 cruel experiment in one instance, and a mud minnow had no food 

 for seven weeks, and had only lost two fifths of its weight when 

 it died. As this is a period longer than the duration of any 

 drought on record, when fish-sustaining streams were actually 

 dry, it goes to show that this species is better prepared than anv 

 other to accommodate itself to certain geological changes when 

 they come about. Curiously enough, the mud minnow looks more 

 like a fossil than an ordinary brook minnow, is the sole repre- 

 sentative of its genus, and is the only species of fresh-water fish 

 found in both Europe and America. 



While the drought destroyed much life, it more largely de- 

 ported it, and I have, in many years of wandering about my home, 

 seen nothing more positively wonderful than the promptness with 

 which every nook and corner was repopulated when the autumn 

 rains came. Vegetal as well as animal life responded at once. 

 The fish were promptly in the brooks, the aquatic salamanders 

 under the flat stones, and the frogs in their places, and on many 

 an afternoon of sunny October days I heard their croaking, as if 

 thankful for the return of the old-time conditions. 



To a circular of the Royal Society asking for co-operation and sugges- 

 tions in making a subject catalogue of scientific papers, the Academy of 

 Natui'al Sciences of Philadelphia has responded tliat such a catalogue is 

 desirable, and that international co-operation should be engaged in its 

 preparation; that in order to secure uniformity in all parts of such a cata- 

 logue a central bureau appears to be necessary, rather than that separate 

 portions should be prej)ared by vai-ious institutions, such central btu'eau to 

 be under the direction of the Royal Society; that such a catalog'ue should 

 be classified, and should be issued at least once a year, each volume to be 

 provided with an alphabetical index ; that the scope of such a classified 

 catalogue should embrace the various yearly bibliographies of special sci- 

 ences now issued ; and that, Vv'henever translations or summaries are be- 

 lieved to be desirable, English should be made the basis of the catalogue. 



