SHORTER ARTICLES AND DISCUSSION 



THE .AIIGRATION OF FISHES 



Under the head of "The Migrations of Fish/'^ Professor Alex- 

 ander Meek has given a voluminous account of what is known of 

 the movements and the distribution of the various families of 

 fishes. The work is illustrated with drawings and photographs 

 of many species, showing not only their forms and their move- 

 ments, but often the stages of development and the structure of 

 fins and scales. Especially valuable is a series of maps showing 

 the geographical distribution of interesting groups. The word 

 migration is taken in its largest sense, including not merely move- 

 ments of individuals or of masses, but the larger problems of 

 distribution, extending often over geological periods. 



It is plain that distribution is intimately related to migration and 



As the problems of fish conservation depend directly on the 

 facts of migration and distribution, especial attention is given to 

 the development and movements of food fishes and naturally to 

 those of the North Atlantic. 



After a general discussion of the continental and oceanic 

 changes which have taken place since Eocene times, these having 

 a direct bearing on modern conditions of fish-distribution, Pro- 

 fessor IVfeek takes up the various groups of fishes, beginning with 

 the lowest, treating of the habits, movements and distribution of 

 each group in turn. 



The excellent account of the lampreys and hag-fishes shows a 

 certain omission. While the lampreys fasten themselves to other 

 river fishes, sturgeons, catfishes and the like, rasping great holes 

 with their teeth, the hag-fishes attack the throats of large sea- 

 fishes, entering the muscular system and almost destroying it 

 before the fish concerned finally dies. Around Monterey Bay, 

 various flounders and rock-fishes (Sebastichthys) are thus at- 

 tacked and drift about as living hulks while the hag-fish (Polisto- 

 trema) devours their muscular tissues. 



The interesting parallelism in habits and distribution of the 



i"The Migrations of Fish," by Alexander Meek, M.Sc, professor of 

 zoology, Armstrong College in the University of Durham, and director of 

 the Dove Marine Laboratory, CuUercoats. Edward Arnold, London, Long- 

 mans, Green & Co., New York. Price $4.50. 



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