30 BULLETIN OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



not, to the writer's knowledge, since recorded on either 

 the coast of New Brunswick or Nova Scotia. 



It is regrettable that our literary, historical, and 

 natural history societies and associations do not take 

 concerted measures to have these old and quaint, but 

 intensely interesting and attractive works, re-published, 

 and thus made accessible to scholars and students of 

 nature, — these "foot-prints on the sands of time." 



In " A Historical and Statistical Account of New 

 Brunswick, with Advice to Emigrants," by Rev. W. C. 

 Atkinson, A, M., Edinburgh, 1844, occurs a list of some 

 provincial fishes ; but beyond the interest attached to it 

 as one of the earliest catalogues, it claims little attention. 

 From a scientific point of view it is of no value, for be- 

 sides its many inaccuracies it afi:brds ample evidence of 

 the author's want of knowledge of this section of natural 

 history. He not only includes such extra-limital species 

 as the bluefish, P. saltator Lacfpede, Spanish mackerel 

 S. maculatus Mitchill, and others of similar range, but 

 the squid and shrimp, which are not fishes at all ; from 

 which it must be inferred that the author of this attrac- 

 tive little book had not a sufficient knowledge of ichthj'ic 

 physiology to render his determination of species actually 

 observed of much scientific value. The writer, however, 

 finds a pleasure in recommending the little volume to all 

 students of the history of New Brunswick, who must 

 feel grateful -to the author for recording much which 

 might otherwise have been lost, of interest in the early 

 settlement and growth of the province. 



Three years after appeared "New Brunswick," by 

 Abraham Gesner, Esquire, London, a volume dealing 

 with the geology, settlement, and general resources of 

 the province. The author believed in the universal dis- 

 tribution of the same animal life over any area wherein 



