74 THE WEST AMERICAN SCIENTIST. 



ted article on the 'Great river of Alaska' is contributed by that 

 interesting writer, Frederick Scliwatka. 'Tuscan cities,' 'The last 

 days of General Grant,' and other papers render this number spe- 

 cially interesting to the general reader. 



A new edition of the Naturalists' Directory is now in prepara- 

 tion and will be issued in January next by S. E. Cassino & Co., of 

 Peabody, Mass.. Those interested in any branch of science 



should send in their names for insertion (for this no charge is 

 made). It will be devoted to American naturalists and those in 

 want of correspondents on any subject, or wishing to effect ex- 

 changes of any kind, will find the work of great value. Price, $2 

 in cloth, or $1.50 in paper. 



'The naturalists' journal;' monthly, 50 cts. per year. Frankford, 

 Philadelphia, Penn. 



'Babyhood;' a monthly magazine for mothers. 18 Spruce st. New 

 York. $1.50 per year. 



'Queries;' a monthly review of literary, art, scientific and gene- 

 ral educational questions of the day. Buffalo, N. Y. 50 cts. per yr. 



SAN DIEGO COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTUAL FAIR. 



The first county fair held at San Diego on Oct. 28, 29 and 30, 1885, under the 

 auspices of the horticultural society, was eminently a success and highly creditable 

 to the city and county. It is impossible to give a correct idea of the fine display of 

 northern fruits such as apples and pears, which was a pleasant surprise to every one. 



Ihe exhibits of semi-tropical fruits, —pomegranates, figs, Japanese persimmons, 

 guavas, bananas, oranges, lenions, olives, grapes, etc. etc. — showed what the county 

 was capable of producing in competition with the whole world. 



Ihe big squashes, melons and beets were not wanting. The comb and extracted 

 honey was not to ba excelled. Pottery from Elsinore represented a new industry 

 for the county. 



The art department was crowded with proof of real talent which would be an 

 honor to any city of twice the population of San Diego. 



The collections of minerals and fossils from the county were disappointing. The 

 best one was from Elsinore, exhibited by Mr. John D. Hofi", consisting of gold ores, 

 clays, etc. The botanical exhibits consisted of a cabinet of native and West Indian 

 woods, and a few of the native grasses of the county. 'The native grass crop of San 

 Diego county is now worth at least a million dollars annually,' yet they were 

 classed among the 'Flowers and ornamental plants!' 



The natural history department was highly creditable considering the number of 

 naturalists, scarce half a dozen. A hundred and seventy species of fish were shown 

 by Miss Rosa Smith; a fine collection of bird skins and eggs by Mr. Perley E. Kent, 

 of Poway; and a large collection of coleoptera by Mr. O. N. Sanford. 



Limnaea humilis was collected by the hundreds in April, 1885, in a small artific- 

 ial pond in the vicinity of Todos Santos bay, Lower California. The pond was near 

 ten years old, a few inches deep and about six feet across, fed by a windmill from a 

 well twenty feet deep. For miles there is no surface water naturally and it was a 

 great surprise to find this mollusk in such a location. How came it there? 



