962 American Work on Recent Molhisca in 1881. [December, 



tools, barges, etc., pertaining to the business. The vast accumu- 

 lation of facts brought together is an evidence of great industry, 

 and can be properly estimated only by a specialist familiar with 

 this field. Doubtless, there is some inequality in the character of 

 the information, such as would inevitably result from the sources 

 from which it is derived. Its value will be chiefly realized in the 

 future. For the present, the only criticism which occurs to us, is, 

 that we miss in addition to the accumulated facts, a brief digest 

 from which their bearings might be rapidly gathered. It is prob- 

 able, however, that this is easier to point out than to remedy. 



Report of the Commissioners of Shell-fisheries of Connecticut 

 (Hartford, 1881, 8vo, pp. 35-132), presented to the legislature, 

 January session, 1 8S2. This first report of the Shell-fish Commis- 

 sioners is included in the same covers, with the sixteenth report 

 of the Fish Commissioners of the State, which occupies the pre- 

 ceding thirty-four pages of the volume. The Shell-fish Commis- 

 sion was established by an act of the legislature approved April 

 14th, 1 88 1, entitled "An act establishing a State Commission 

 for the designation of oyster grounds," which board is given by 

 Section 1, exclusive jurisdiction over the offshore grounds, north 

 of the New York State line, in Long Island sound, suitable for 

 or occupied by oyster beds. They are empowered to survey and 

 map all the grounds above mentioned, to ascertain the ownership 

 of any that may be claimed by right of occupancy and the area 

 of the natural beds, to report a plan for an equitable taxation of 

 the property in said fisheries, and an annual report of the state of 

 their condition. They are also empowered in the name of the State 

 to grant by written instruments perpetual franchises in such un- 

 claimed grounds, as are not and have not for ten years been 

 natural clam or oyster beds, to citizens of the State applying for 

 them, paying expenses of survey and one dollar per acre for the 

 same for the purpose of planting or cultivating shell-fish thereon. 

 The deeds are to be registered, maps of special sections made, 

 boundary buoys or stakes set, and provision is made for a lega 

 settlement of disputes. 



During the seven months, ending with Nov. 30th, 1881, about 

 $8400.00 had been paid into the State treasury from receipts, 

 while 34000.00 had been drawn for expenses incurred. 



The report contains, first, an account of lands registered as 

 private property ; second, a brief statement of the character of 



