Maech 17, 1899.] 



SCIENCE. 



407 



single-sheet bulletins. It is proposed to 

 continue the issue of these from time to time 

 whenever there is information of special 

 interest. Attention is called to the fishery 

 resources of the Yukon River, which so far 

 have been utilized only by the Indians for 

 their immediate needs, but which it is be- 

 lieved may afford a food supply to the 

 miners and ti-aders who have been attracted 

 to that region, and ultimately to the coun- 

 try at large. Full statistics are given of 

 the sections covered by the report, and it 

 may be noted that at Gloucester and Boston 

 there has been a falling-off in the aggregate 

 receipts of fish since 1896, while the South 

 Atlantic States as a whole show an increase 

 in the product, the amount of capital in- 

 vested and the number of persons em- 

 ployed in the fisheries. 



What strikes one very forcibly in glanc- 

 ing over this report is the many discourage- 

 ments the fish culturist is called upon to 

 face and the large number of serious losses 

 due to unavoidable, often seemingly tiivial 

 and sometimes inexplicable, accidents. A 

 few degrees of temperature, more or less, a 

 heavy shower, the lingering of ice or an 

 unfavorable wind may cause heavy damage 

 and almost bring to naught the labor of 

 weeks. Another thought is to what extent 

 should the general government undertake 

 the propagation and distribution of the 

 more strictly game fishes, such, for example, 

 as black bass and trout? The investiga- 

 tion of the best methods for the accomplish- 

 ment of such work should undeniably lie 

 with the United States, but these once dis- 

 covered, its continuance should rest with 

 States and individuals. What may be done 

 by individual effort is shown by the fact 

 that a large number of the many ponds of 

 Plymouth county, Mass., have been stocked 

 mth black bass by the simple process of 

 carrying a few fish in pails from one pond 

 to another. It may be said that the estab- 

 lishment of many of the trout hatcheries has 



been due to the efforts of members of Con- 

 gress and not to any desire of the Commis- 

 sioner of Fisheries. The propagation of such 

 widely-spread and all-important species as 

 cod, shad, the Pacific salmon and the lobster 

 is quite another matter and should properly 

 be carried on by the United States. 



The statistical as well as the strictly scien- 

 tific work of the Fish Commission is again 

 of national importance, and the special 

 omission of fishery statistics from the com- 

 ing census bears testimony to the value of 

 the work done by this division. 



It is gratifying to learn that the appro- 

 priation for scientific work has this year 

 been materially increased, for, from past ex- 

 perience, we know that what to-day appears 

 to be a purely scientific problem to-morrow 

 becomes an all-important practical matter. 

 In this connection Dr. Smith urges the ap- 

 pointment of an expert in fish pathology, 

 calling attention to the large mortality which 

 often prevails among fish, both under natural 

 and artificial conditions, and for which 

 there is at present no known cause or 

 remedy. The annual losses at the hatcheries 

 of the Commission, while not excessive, are 

 still great enough to demonstrate the need 

 of skilled investigation, and the present ex- 

 penditure of a few thousand dollars may 

 yield subsequent returns of millions. 



Last, but not least, it may be again noted 

 that under the present Commissioner it has 

 been arranged to keep the laboratorj^ at 

 Wood's Hole under the scientific direction 

 of Professor Bumpus open throughout the 

 year. 



ENGINEEEJNG AND THE PBOFESSIONS 



IN EDUCATION. 

 The receipt of the annual volume of Pro- 

 ceedings of the ■' Society for the Promotion of 

 Engineering Education ' * is a reminder of 



* Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Meeting of the 

 Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education, 

 Vol. VI. Published by the ."-ociety. 1898. 8vo. Pp. 

 xxvii-|-324. 



