187 
THE FISH-FAUNA OF 
NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM. 
Mr. RicHArD Howse, the well-known and able Curator of the 
Museum at Newcastle-on-Tyne, has published in the Natural 
History Transactions of Northumberland and Durham, a ‘ Catalogue 
of the Fishes of the Rivers and Coast of Northumberland and 
Durham and the adjacent Sea,’ of which a reprint lies before us. 
There can be no hesitation in declaring this to be one of the best 
pieces of natural history work that has been produced of late years, 
and the author, who has spared no pains to render it as complete, 
as useful, and as interesting as possible, is to bg congratulated upon 
the result of his labour with no stinted prai 
The authorities in charge of the N peer Museum are also to 
be heartily congratulated upon their exceptional appreciation of what 
is, perhaps, the most important function of a provincial museum, and 
the considerable number of species of fish that the present Catalogue 
evidences to be represented’ in the Museum by local specimens bears 
witness to the enlightened policy which characterizes their adminis- 
tration of it. So also does the list of desiderata in this respect, 
which Mr. Howse appends to his paper, further show how fully 
alive they are to their responsibilities, and we hope that the time 
which is to elapse before each species in desideratum is added to the 
collection may be of the briefest. 
The introduction to Mr. Howse’s Catalogue first deals with the 
bibliography of the subject, enumerating not merely the lists, but also 
the additions to them which have been from time to time published, 
and in the list itself the records are faithfully repeated for each 
species. Cognizance is also taken of the Firth of Forth and York- 
shire lists, and useful comparisons are instituted. The introduction 
next deals with the systematic classification adopted, which is that of 
Dr. Giinther’s British Museum Catalogue of Fishes; a synoptical 
table of the various families, showing the number of species of each 
which are included in the Northumbrian fauna, follows ; and after- 
wards comes a reference to the increment to our knowledge which the 
comparatively recent introduction of the use of the ‘trawl-net on the 
north-eastern coast has brought about. 
The list itself is most full and detailed, and remarkably interesting 
in character. A certain limited amount of synonymy is given, and 
a detailed account of what is known as to the distribution. Frequent 
reference is made to Yorkshire and to Berwickshire records, and local 
vernacular names are given wherever possible. Due notice is taken 
of species which have been reported either for Berwickshire or the 
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