1897] Petrography. 805 
the Commissioner for the year ending June, 1895, comprises reports on 
the propagation and distribution of food fishes, by W. C. DeRavenal ; 
on food fishes and fishing grounds, by Richard Rathbun; and on the 
statistics and methods of the fisheries, by H. M. Smith. In addition 
there are several papers based on the work of the Commission. These 
comprise the investigations of the steamer Albatross by Lieut. Com. F. 
J. Drake; Biscayne Bay as a Marine Hatching and Experiment Sta- 
tion, by H. M. Smith; Transplanting of Eastern Oysters to Willapa 
Bay, Washington, by C. H. Townsend; Description of a New Shad 
from Alabama, by B. W. Evermann ; and a Check-List of the Fishes 
and Fossil-like Vertebrates of North and Middle America, by D.S. 
Jordan and B. W. Evermann. 
These various papers demonstrate the importance of the work carried 
on by the Commission, both from an economic and scientific stand- 
point. From year to year this organization accumulates and records 
an immense amount of information that stands for all time as reliable 
data. 
Hand-book of British Birds.*—This book comprises an enum- 
eration of every species of birds on the British list, with descriptions 
of nearly all the species named. Records of the rarer forms have been 
: carefully collected, and a tolerably complete life-history of the common 
species isgiven. In the nomenclature the author adopts the American 
system of trinominals, as he sees no other way of allowing a name to a 
recognized race without giving it the rank of a species. In all, Mr. 
Swann recognizes 381 species which are referred to 208 genera. The 
volume constitutes a handy reference book for the student afield. 
A List of Periodicals.—Nearly twenty years ago a small pam- 
phlet was published containing a list of scientific periodicals, transac- 
tions of learned societies, etc. accessible in the libraries in the vicinity 
of Boston. The list became antiquated and has long been out of print. 
- In the present year the Boston Public Library has taken up the same 
idea and the result is a list of periodicals, etc.,* which must be of the 
greatest value to students in any line as it is a catalogue of the largest 
collection of serial publications accessible in any locality in America. 
Unlike its modest predecessor, it is not limited to science but embraces 
the periodicals of all kinds contained in thirty-six libraries in Boston, 
3 A Concise Handbook of British Birds.. By H. Kirke Swann. London, 1896. 
* A list of periodicals, newspapers, transactions, and other serial publications 
currently received in the principal libraries of Boston and vicinity. Boston: 
The Trustees of the Public Library, 1897, pp. 143. 
