REVIEW. 37 



nature^ but also of the various flies which are destined to be their food; nearly 

 fifty pages arc devoted to the Natural History of these creatures^ and many 

 valuable facts and observations are to be found in them. 



The following extract is interesting, as showing the enormous increase of size 

 which takes place in the common trout^ when placed under favourable circum- 

 stances. Page 19. — 



"But an insttiiice lias come under our own knowledge which cannot admit of dispute, for 

 the water in which were captured the specimens (of trout) of which we shall speak, is miles 

 from the sea, and has not the slightest communication with it, through any of its numerous 

 feeders. We refer to the reservoir of the canal at Chard, in Somersetshire, a piece of water 

 covering some seventy acres, in which common trout, weighing six and eight pounds, were 

 taken with the net within two years after its construction; and one was found dead on the bank 

 about the same period, which weighed more than a dozen pounds. These fish must have been 

 supplied from the neighbouring tributary brooks, in which a trout above six inches long is 

 perhaps never seen; and they atford additional proof —if such were wanting— of the physical 

 peculiarity of fish, the gi-owth of which, under favourable circumstances, has no limit, and is 

 of marvellous rapidity." 



This fact is one of much interest; for it is seldom that fish are so isolated 

 as to enable their origin and growth to be so decidedly traced, as they were 

 in this instance. We had no idea that the growth of the trout was so rapid, 

 even under any circumstances; and we had always thought the monsters one 

 sometimes read of, to have been fish of some indefinite age, and which had, 

 by slow degrees, attained such fair proportions; Mr. Pulman's fact is, however, 

 quite decisive, that some operating cause, other than, and independent of, 

 age, is at the bottom of such unusual increase. 



The remainder of the work is occupied with the rod, line, flies, etc.; and 

 the chapter upon the last is so good, and so well illustrated by wood-cuts, 

 that if any reader of the book experiences difllculty in making the arti- 

 ficial flies, the fault will not rest with Mr. Pulman. This chapter is, to our 

 mind, the best on the subject we have seen, and we have done a little in 

 fly-making ourselves. The various steps are so clearly laid down, and so plainly 

 described and illustrated, that we have no hesitation in recommending the "Vade- 

 mecum," as a fitting ^'^pocket companion" for any brother of the angle. Mr. 

 Pulman is a practical fly-fisher, and all his directions and advice are practical 

 in their character, and if followed would, we believe, be found of much service 

 to most amateurs. 



Kidd's London Journal; a Literary, Scientific, and Family Paper. London: 

 George Berger, Holywell Street, p. p. 16. Published weekly. 



The first three numbers of this very amusing and instructive publication are 

 now before us. A portion of each number is occupied by short reviews of 

 various interesting works; and Mr. Kidd has judiciously allowed the authors to 

 speak for themselves, by giving one or two extracts from each work. 



Judging from the first numbers of the Journal, we anticipate much very 

 useful information on the subject of domestic pets, of all kinds. This is a 



