1914] The Ottawa Naturalist. 57 



be descriptive, so that to dispute its value because it affords no 

 information concerning "the spawning period and the nature of 

 the eggs" is surely beside the mark. The aim of the book is 

 uniformity in its svibject matter, not description, and its object 

 is clearly stated in the introduction as the following quotation 

 will show: "The technical name, governed by the rules of 

 priority ; the vernacular name when the fish has one . . . . ; 

 the environment concisely , and the geographical distribution of 

 each fish are given." 



Concerning the figures, if " C " had examined the specimens 

 in the Canadian Fisheries Museum, from which the photographs 

 which he criticizes were taken, he would have seen that the 

 majority of the figures are from mounted specimens of the 

 fishes themselves — a minority only being from casts (which, 

 moreover, are actual impressions of specimens), viz.: the steel- 

 head salmon and the five species of Oncorhynchus of the Pacific 

 slope; whereas "C" says they "are in very many cases from 

 defective coloured casts." [Italics mine]. 



Andrew Halkett. 



A WELL-EARNED HONOUR. 



Many mernbers of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club 

 learned, with much pleastire recently, that the University of 

 Toronto had conferred upon Mr. F. T. Shutt, M.A., F.R.S.C, 

 Assistant Director of the Experimental Farms and Dominion 

 Chemist, the degree of Doctor of Science. Mr. Shutt has always 

 taken a keen interest in the work of our Club, being for many 

 years a valued member of the council. From 1892 to 1895 he 

 was vice-president of the Club, and during the years 1895 to 

 1897 he occupied the office of president. It was with apprecia- 

 tion, therefore, that notice of such honour reached us early in 

 the present month (June) . The degree was conferred on June 5th. 



Such an honorary degree, when it comes to one who has 

 really accomplished valuable results in science, is indeed worth 

 having, and not only honours the one receiving it, but also 

 honours the seat of learning conferring it. In the present in- 

 stance, we think the University of Toronto has chosen wisely. 

 Dr. Shutt, during the last 2 7 years, has given the best part of 

 his Hfe to a study of the science of chemistry in relation to 

 agriculture. His researches towards the economic maintenance 

 of fertility of soils and the factors that influence their nitrogen 

 content; in the composition and relative values of Canadian 

 grown fodders and feeding stuffs; on the influence of environ- 



