Jtily 1 6, 1874] 



NATURE 



avoids identifying his formations with those of Europe, and 

 contents himself with indicating such indefinite horizons 

 as Lower and Upper Mesozoic. The list of publications 

 on the mines and geological structure of Victoria is 

 already a tolerably long one, and indicates no small 

 amount of activity. It includes Mr. Smyth's work on 

 the " Goldfields of Victoria," which we favourably 

 noticed at the time of its appearance. 



Easy-going geologists in this country, who spend their 

 winters comfortably in town, and can at any moment 

 transport themselves by train or steamer to even the 

 farthest parts of the kingdom, have little notion what 

 geologising is in an unexplored region like that of so vast 

 a portion of Australia. Mr. Smyth, for instance, in the most 

 matter-of-fact way refers to one part of geological work 

 in Victoria as " cutting tracks," that is, levelling the trees 

 and scrub in a densely-timbered region so as to make a 

 roadway into the wilds. He truly adds that every mile of 

 such road-cutting is a gain of so much territory to the 

 colony. We find that during three months of last year 

 the survey spent 172/. i6j-. dd. in cutting tracks, each of 

 which was of course a geological section. 



But while all this work is going on in his own colony, Mr. 

 Smyth's energies extend over the whole of his continent. 

 At his suggestion, representations have been made to the 

 authorities of the other Australian colonies, to aid in the 

 preparation of a general geological map embracing the 

 wholeof Australia and Tasmania. This proposal having 

 been favourably received, consider.ible progress has been 

 made in the preparation of the map. Mr. Smyth remarks 

 however, that no response has been received from New 

 South Wales, which still remains a blank on his map. 

 No explanation is given of this not very intelligible state- 

 ment. Certainly there is abundance of information to be 

 had regarding the geological structure of that colony, 

 where, among others, the veteran W. B. Clarke has 

 laboured so long and so well. 



As an illustration of the thoroughness with which the 

 Department of Mines endeavours to do its work, it may 

 be mentioned that specimens of rocks or minerals which 

 may be sent up from any part of the conntry are examined, 

 and if need be analysed, a boon which appears to be 

 taken advantage of to a considerable extent. Appended 

 to Mr. Smyth's Report of Progress is an excellent Report 

 on the I^Iineral Resources of Ballarat, by R. A. F. Murray, 

 who we believe was one of Mr. Selwyn's staff. The 

 appendix contains also reports on some of the colonial 

 coalfields. In conclusion, it should be added, that this 

 Report is admirably, indeed almost luxuriously, printed 

 and illustrated, presenting a very striking contrast to the 

 blue-books we are accustomed to at home. Mr. Smyth 

 deserves great credit for the way in which he has orga- 

 nised his work, and we trust that a long series of excellent 

 reports may be obtained from him. Arch. Geikie 



THE FISHERIES OF NEW ENGLAND 

 Report oil the Condi tioti of the Sea Fisheries 0/ the Soi/th 

 Coast of New England in 1871 and 1872. By Spencer 

 F. Baird, Commissioner. (Washington : Government 

 Printing Office, 1873.) 



WHILE the question of the supply of fish to the 

 English markets is being year by year more 

 anxiously discussed, and measures taken for the restora- 



tion of those fisheries which have been decimated, and 

 for the protection of those whose productiveness is 

 threatened by overfishing, our Transatlantic brethren are 

 engaged in the investigation of a similar question in 

 connection with the produce of their own waters. The 

 wonderful fertility of fish, and the apparently inexhaustible 

 supplies to be found in the waters of all parts of the 

 world, have given rise to the idea that there is no limit to 

 their abundance, and that no appreciable diminution in 

 their numbers can be effected by the most unrestricted 

 fishing. The experience afforded by the example of the 

 salmon fisheries of this country has shown the fallacy of 

 this idea. The most productive rivers have been reduced 

 to absolute unproductiveness, and the most stringent 

 measures have been adopted for encouraging the giowth 

 and restricting the destruction of fish. Overfishing, it is 

 found, is not only possible, but has a very speedy eilect on 

 the natural supplies ; and already the people on the other 

 side of the Atlantic are experiencing the truth of this fact. 

 Notwithstanding the enormous seaboard possessed by the 

 L'nited States, it is found that the supplies of fish are no 

 longer equal to the demand, and the most important fish- 

 producing States have consequently instituted inquiries 

 with the view of adopting remedial measures. Opinions 

 on no subject are more varied and contradictory than on 

 the question of fish supplies. This is inevitable, as com- 

 paratively little is known of the habits of fish, and persons 

 are too apt to generalise upon the result of their own 

 limited experience. F'inding the testimony of various 

 authorities too conflicting to be of any use, the State of 

 New England appointed Prof. Baird, of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, to make a detailed inquiry into the condition 

 of the fisheries on the coast and lakes of the country 

 generally. The present report is the result of his first 

 year's operations. 



Anyone conversant with the fisheries of this country 

 cannot fail to be struck with the similarity that exists 

 between their condition and that of the American fish- 

 eries. The river fisheries of England had long been 

 falling into decay, and were almost annihilated, when 

 measures were adopted for their restoration. The river 

 fisheries of America have also fallen off in produc- 

 tiveness, the only astonishing feature being the sudden- 

 ness of this decay. There are many causes, such as the 

 existence of pollutions, of obstructions, and of navigation, 

 that have militated against the fisheries of this country 

 which have not had equal force in America ; but the 

 principal cause of decay has acted more speedily there, 

 and it is apparent that overfishing, and the destruction 

 of spawning fish, have been on both sides of the Atlantic 

 the chief enemy to the continued prosperity of river 

 fisheries. Here salmon, there bass, have been trapped 

 both in their upward and downward progress in the rivers, 

 and no " close season " has been allowed in which they 

 might, unmolested, perform their natural functions of re- 

 production. In England " fixed engines," /.(•. devices fixed 

 in the run of the fish, and intercepting almost every indi- 

 vidual that would attempt to pass them, have been abo- 

 lished. In America these instruments are more largely 

 used than ever they were here ; and a glance at the dia- 

 grams presented by Mr. Baird shows their terribly destruc- 

 tive nature. In some rivers, and on some parts of the 

 coast, they are placed so thickly that no fish can pass 



