1913] The Ottawa Naturalist. 131 



BOOK NOTICES. 



Work of the Canadian Biological Stations. Contribu- 

 tions to Canadian Biology, being Studies from the Marine 

 Biological Stations of Canada, 1906-1910. Ottawa. C. H. 

 Parmalee, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, 1912. 



A handsome well-bound volume of over 300 pages, which 

 bears the title given above, has just been issued by the Dominion 

 Government. The two preceding volumes of Biological papers, 

 Supplements to the Annual (Fisheries) Report of the Depart- 

 ment of Marine and Fisheries, appeared in 1901 and 1907; but 

 the present volume is a great advance upon the slim blue books 

 just referred to. The increased generosity shown by the present 

 Government, and the great personal interest shown by the 

 present Minister of Marine and Fisheries have, no doubt, much 

 to do with the great advance shown in the present Biological 

 Volume. 



To all naturalists, and especially to persons interested in 

 fishery researches, and in investigations into the life in the sea, 

 this report will be welcome. It includes 19 papers, with 38 

 plates, two of them maps; and the excellent paper, the strong 

 binding, and above all, the really beautiful plates, most of them 

 works of art, add to its importance as a Canadian biological 

 publication. 



Professor Prince, Dominion Commissioner of Fisheries, as 

 Chairman of the Biological Board, furnishes an interesting 

 preface, and claims that the Canadian Stations occupy a premier 

 place in showing substantial results, after so short a time of 

 operation, and with so vast a field to cover as the waters of the 

 Dominion. 



It is difficult to review a scientific volume of such varied 

 contents as this, but it may suffice to summarize them as 

 Narrative (like the articles by Professor Prince and the late 

 Professor Penhallow) Practical, Faunistic, Botanical, Physio- 

 logical, Physical and Geological. 



Among the practical fishery papers Professor Knight's 

 (Queen's University, Kingston) takes first place. Bait is the 

 most vital need of our fishermen, especially sea-fishermen, and 

 Professor Knight reports fully his experiments on bait. From 

 these it appears that fresh clam-bait is best, frozen clams less 

 so, while herring bait comes next, fresh herring being rather 

 better than frozen. Squid-bait ranks next, while the flesh of 

 the detested sea dog-fish (Squalus acanthias) proved to be very 

 attractive. Professor Knight's style is very fascinating, and his 

 references to fishermen's theories very amusing. He embodies a 

 large amount of valuable matter in the ten pages of his report. 



