68 Geological Survey of Canada. 



these substances are actually worth to the farmer for manure 10 

 and 20 cents per pound ; and that immense quantities of fish 

 garbage, capable of affording these valuable substances, are annu- 

 ally wasted in the fishing districts, — should lead to some practical 

 action in the matter. Some years ago we strongly urged this 

 subject on the attention of the farmers of one of the maritime 

 provinces. A manufactory now exists in Newfoundland ; and we 

 hope the time is coming when the culture of wheat may be 

 restored to old farms by the liberal application of this manure. 



A new feature in this report is the appearance of Mr. Bell's 

 observations on the living fauna of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It 

 has often been remarked, in the press and elsewhere, that without 

 much increase of expense the Geological Survey might collect 

 an immense amount of information on the zoology and botany 

 of the province, and more especially on the geographical distri- 

 bution of its animals and plants. The introduction of the subject 

 in the present report is a small step in this direction, and gives 

 promise of useful work. Mr. Bell is a very young man, the son 

 of the late Rev. Mr. Bell of L'Orignal, himself a geologist, whose 

 collection, very ingeniously arranged, is now in Queen's College. 

 He has in him the material of a good naturalist, and we hope to 

 meet him in many succeeding reports laden with new facts on 

 the distribution of the invertebrates of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 



On the importance of the observations of longitude, by Lieut. 

 Ashe, it is unnecessary to say anything, except that they remind 

 us of the forthcoming map, on which so much of the labour of the 

 survey is at present concentrated. One part of the report, how- 

 ever, is zoological, and relates to certain recent animals of singular 

 habits. " My past experience," says Lieutenant Ashe, " had 

 taught me to avoid the tops of houses, and to select the solid 

 earth and solid rock for the support of my transit instrument. 

 Still I had another lesson to learn. This neighbourhood was 

 infested with boys, who when they saw a light shining through 

 the cracks of the boards, commenced throwing stones with a 

 determination and precision worthy of a better cause ; and some 

 of the few clear nights that occurred in this month were lost in 

 consequence of boys' love of mischief. I first tried mild entrea- 

 ties, and then severe threatenings ; they laughed at the former, 

 and made faces at the latter. I then procured the service of the 

 police, who partly succeeded in keeping the boys from further 

 interference with my duties." 



