facts which the expeditions have added to knowledge, separating them according to their classes, and relating those of each class topically. Mr. Agassiz may call himself a veteran in thalassographic work, for his connection with it began in 1849, when, as a boy, he accompanied Prof. Agassiz in his cruise of the Bibb off Nantucket. He afterward, in 1851, served as the professor's aid in his survey of the Florida Reef. Afterward he reported upon a part of the collections made by Pourtales in the Bibb in deep water in 1867-68. Since then he been almost continuously engaged on deep-sea work. In the brief chapter in which is embodied the narrative of the expeditions are given some observations, with pertinent illustrations, on the physiognomy and structure of the smaller West India Islands. In the first volume, after a full account of the equipment of the Blake for its work, including Sigsbee's improvement in sounding-apparatus, and a "Historical Sketch of Deep-Sea Work," the characteristic features are general discussions of the fundamental facts and principles ascertained in the research. The chapter on "The Florida Reefs" embodies a study of the manner in which the peninsula of Florida and its hemming reefs originated and have come to their present condition—in which Darwin's theory of coral reefs is found not to apply. Next is considered the "Topography of the Eastern Coast of the North American Continent," of which only the most general features were known before the explorations of the Blake. The further presentation of the general principles comprises the discussion of such topics as the "Relations of the American and West Indian Fauna and Flora"; "The Permanence of Continents and of Oceanic Basins"; "Deep-Sea Formations"; "The Deep-Sea Fauna"; "The Pelagic Fauna and Flora"; "Temperatures of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Western Atlantic"; "The Gulf Stream"; "Submarine Deposits"; and the "Physiology of Deep-Sea Life." All these papers are of great physiographical importance, and present at considerable length and in detail the results obtained by the Blake expeditions, supplemented by those derrivedfrom the Challenger and other investigations. The second volume is occupied with fuller and specific descriptions of the various forms of deep-sea life obtained by the surveys and dredgings, beginning with a summary review of the "West Indian Fauna," and continued with chapters, illustrated by original figures, either prepared for this work or borrowed from the office of the Coast Survey, on "The Fishes," "Crustacea," "Worms," "Mollusks," "Echinoderms," "Acalephs," "Polyps," "Rhizopods," and "Sponges." The essentials to every good book, a list of figures and an index, are not forgotten, but are given in a full and satsfactory style.
American Fishes. By G. Brown Goode. Illustrated. New York: Standard Book Co. Pp. 496. Price, $5.
The rule which has guided Prof. Goode in selecting, from the 1,750 species indigenous to our waters, the fishes to be described in this book, is to include "every North American fish which is likely to be of interest to the general reader, either because of its gameness or its economic uses." The. author gives the physical features of each, fish, tells its range and season, its habits in regard to feeding, migration, and breeding, with something about methods of capture, and value as food. Mingled with these facts is much curious information about the different names of fish in different places, many exciting fishing adventures, and appropriate quotations in prose and verse from Izaak Walton and other writers, both old and recent. "This volume has been prepared," says Prof. Goode, in his prologue, "for the use of the angler, the lover of nature, and the general reader. It is not intended for naturalists, and the technicalities of zoölogical description have therefore been avoided. . . . . A figure of almost every species discussed is presented, by the aid of which any one interested in fishes can determine the correct zoölogical name of the form before him." To prevent a possible mistake as to the scope of the work it may be well to repeat the author's caution that it contains "no discussions of rods, reels, lines, hooks, and flies, and no instructions concerning camping out, excursions, routes, guides, and hotels." The field occupied, however, is wide enough to make the book interesting to a large circle of readers, and its reliability may be inferred from the author's intimate
