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9908 
It was felt by many English men of science 
that a portion of the surplus of the late fish- 
eries exhibition might appropriately be applied 
to the scientific investigation of the English 
seas, since this course would undoubtedly be 
very beneficial to the fishery interests of the 
nation. The very handsome sum remaining 
at the disposal of the directors has gone, how- 
ever, almost entirely to build homes for the 
families of fishermen lost at sea. In deference 
to the vote of the British association for the 
advancement of science, in support of the plea 
of Professor Ray Lankester, a small sum is 
assigned to a‘ Royal fisheries society,’ yet to 
be organized, in whose future it is difficult 
to imagine any great benefit to result, either 
to science or to the fisheries. 
Public opinion in Great Britain seems to 
demand the organization of a series of inves- 
tigations similar to those which have for a 
number of years been carried on by our own 
fish-commission. At a meeting of fishermen 
in Peterhead, in January, a petition was for- 
warded for government aid for a scientific 
research into the habits of fish; and the repre- 
sentative fishery capitalists of Ireland are 
equally urgent. The meeting at the Royal 
society’s rooms, a few weeks ago, for the or- 
ganization of a ‘Society for the biological 
investigation of the British coasts,’ was 
evidently a part of the same movement. The 
endowment of fifty thousand dollars, which it 
is proposed to secure by private subscription, 
will doubtless be readily forthcoming ; and we 
may safely predict for the new society the 
career of success which it deserves to have. 
Although not a direct outcome of the fisheries 
exhibition, it may fairly be considered one of 
its results. 
Tue presentation of a petition, by a large 
number of Canadian naturalists, to the post- 
master-general, requesting the government to 
‘¢ take into consideration the matter of a natu- 
ralists’ exchange post for Canada, and for the 
other countries within the postal union,’’ is a 
step which should meet the approval of natu- 
SCIENCE. 
ralists in this country, by whom some organ- 
ized attempt ought soon to be made to procure _ 
a modification of the existing regulations. As 
far as inland postage on specimens of natural 
history is concerned, no serious complaint can 
be urged against the postage charged, or the 
limit of weight allowed. ‘The provision, how- 
ever, that no written matter can be sent with the 
specimens, except at letter-rates, is a serious 
obstacle in many instances; for it frequently 
happens, that, as in case of marine plants 
mounted on paper, it is necessary to mark the 
locality and date on the paper at the time the 
specimen is collected. Without such written 
data, the specimens lose half their value. The 
rulings of the post-office department in Wash- 
ington, with regard to written labels or notes 
giving the scientific name, locality, and date 
of collection, have been contradictory, and, as 
a matter of fact, naturalists are unable, except 
in an underhanded way, to send any but printed 
labels at the cheap rates; and, as every one 
knows, in by far the majority of exchanges 
labels must be written rather than printed. At 
the last meeting of the American association, 
a committee was appointed to consider the 
best way of presenting to the post-office de- 
partment the claims of naturalists. It is said 
that the committee intend to report some plan 
of operation at the next meeting-in Phila- 
delphia. 
With regard to foreign exchanges, of course 
no action can be taken without the action of 
the delegates of the postal union; and the 
Canadian naturalists desire to have the sub- 
ject brought before the convention to be held 
in Lisbon next October. If we correctly un- 
derstand the petition of the Canadian natural- 
ists, they are now able to send packages not over 
eight ounces in weight, at sample merchan- 
dise rates, to countries in the postal union. 
If this is the case, they are much better 
off than we are in this country; for our post- 
office department has distinctly declared that 
no specimens of plants sent as botanical ex- 
changes can be forwarded, except at letter-— 
rates, no matter whether there is any writing 
[Vou. IIL, No. 66. 
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