Literary Notices. 147 



lation. In 1859, Mr. Young, quoting the returns, says — " 12,802 

 boats, manned by 43,062 fishermen and boys, were employed in the 

 herring, cod, and ling fisheries, and the total estimated value of the 

 boats, nets, and lines employed in these fisheries was £739,096." 

 Many important questions relating to the habits of fish can only be 

 elucidated through the systematic collection of a great mass of 

 information, and this is a kind of labour which the Government 

 should undertake ; but there is ample room for individual exertion, 

 and if a larger portion of those who are addicted to maritime 

 recreations could be inoculated with scientific tastes, much good 

 might be achieved. At present we are totally ignorant of the 

 causes of good and bad seasons for herrings and many other fish, 

 and it is most desirable that efforts should be made to explain the 

 reasons of their visiting or deserting particular localities. " Sea 

 Pishing as a Sport" is a handsomely-printed volume — not too big 

 for the pocket, with ample margins, and plenty of headings,' so as 

 to adapt it for quick reference. It is also furnished with eight 

 well-executed plates of fishing-vessels, tackle, etc., not the least" 

 interesting of which are numerous diagrams of knots, in which the 

 mystery of the ingenious fastenings in which sailors delight is clearly 

 explained. 



A History oe British Ferns. By Edward Newman. The 

 fourth, or school edition, with plates and glossary. (Van Voorst.) 

 — We welcome a cheap edition of Mr. Newman's ferns, but we do 

 not understand why it should be called a "school edition," as it 

 is not likely that any number of schools will take up the fern 

 family as a specialty in their course of instruction. Elementary 

 instruction in systematic botany ought to form a recognized branch 

 of ordinary education, and pupils fairly taught would then be pre- 

 pared to pursue any particular branch of the study to which their 

 interest might be excited. Mr. Newman's merits as a writer on 

 ferns have always been acknowledged ; but he is not entitled to 

 treat all other writers as merely eopyers of what he has done. His 

 book is a valuable one, and the issue of a cheap edition will induce 

 a great many admirers of ferns to become purchasers ; but we think 

 some other writers have arranged their descriptions in a manner 

 more convenient for quick reference in practical use. Mr. New- 

 man's mode of numbering the objects in his plates is exceedingly 

 good. Every fern is described in order, with a number prefixed, 

 and that number marks the position of the corresponding figure in 

 the plates. His directions for the cultivation of various kinds of 

 ferns will especially commend his volume to many families who 

 delight in this elegant mode of decorating their abodes. 



A Dictionary of Science, Literature, and Art: comprising the 

 Definitions and Derivations of the Scientific Terms in general use ; 

 together with the History and Descriptions of the Scientific Princi- 

 ples of nearly every branch of Human Knowledge. Edited by 

 W. P. Brands, D.O.L., P.R.S., L. and E. of Her Majesty's Mint j 

 and the Rev. George W. Cox, M.A., Late Scholar of Trinity 

 College, Oxford, assisted by gentlemen of eminent scientific and 



