520 Canadian Record of Science 



an oyster." Dr. Stafford now, in some measure, sup- 

 plies the desiderata. Part I. of his book is devoted to a 

 consideration of these points. The details given throw 

 much light on the anatomy of the oyster, and the 

 gradual development of its organic parts. In the 

 plankton stage, it is not easy to distinguish it from other 

 embryo bivalves; but careful and continued observation 

 . had enabled him at length to detect the difference be- 

 tween the oyster larva and the oyster spat, an important 

 advance in the knowledge of the subject. The former 

 are developed in the month of July and the latter in the 

 month of August. His observations were made at the 

 Biological Stations on the coasts of New Brunswick and 

 Prince Edward Island, in the years 1904 to 1909. He 

 visited British Columbia with a view to studying con- 

 ditions there in 1910. 



Part II. is taken up with the discussion of the envir- 

 onment, culture and biological and physical phenomena 

 of the oyster, and deals with such matters as tide, depth 

 of water, fresh water, salinity, lime, temperature at the 

 bottom, and the structure of the typical oyster bays, 

 contrasted with the Bay of Fundy. 



He devotes a chapter to the consideration of the 

 practicability of transplanting the oyster virginana to 

 Pacific waters. Several attempts in this direction did 

 not meet with much success; but his search after speci- 

 mens resulting from those attempts encourages him in 

 the belief that, with proper care and previous examining 

 of the grounds to which the eggs are committed, success 

 may attend further future efforts. 



The volume is very finely provided with illustrations, 

 seven plates in all, with a map of Malpeque Bay. It 

 concludes with a full bibliography of the subject. 



R. C. 



