Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 2 (1878).djvu/93

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NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.
71

an authentic record." This remarkable Carp is described and figured in Manley's 'Notes on Fish and Fishing' (p. 238), a book which has already been noticed in 'The Zoologist' (1877, p. 501), and the author says (p. 243), "I believe Mr. Weaver's Carp is the largest on record as taken in English waters, as it considerably 'tops' the nineteen and a half-pounds fish taken in the White Sitch Lake, and whose picture is still to be seen at Weston Hall, the seat of the Earl of Bradford in Staffordshire." He adds, "I believe, too, that the Halting Carp now figures for the first time in a book on Fish and Fishing." On the occasion of its capture three hundred Tench and at least a ton weight of Eels were taken out of the same pond, besides a Jack weighing twenty-seven pounds and a half, which was in the act of digesting two Carp, which weighed two and four pounds respectively. In 1862 the Great Pond was again fished, and on that occasion, although the largest Jack did not exceed eighteen pounds and the largest Carp thirteen pounds, upwards of twenty-two hundredweight of Carp and Tench were taken, and nearly eight hundredweight of Eels.

With the Fishes Mr. Weaver concludes his notice of the Vertebrata of the parish, and then follows an excellent chapter on the Land and Freshwater Mollusca, succeeded by no less than eight chapters on the Insects which have been found to occur within the limits of the district. These are treated in such a way as to leave no doubt on the mind of the reader that the author is an accomplished entomologist. Did space permit, we should like to give several extracts from these chapters, for we have seldom seen so many interesting facts in connection with the life-history of insects brought together in so clear and entertaining a manner. We must content ourselves, however, with recommending them to the notice of all who would like to learn a good deal of Entomology with very little trouble. The chapters are thus divided:—Chap. V. Beetles; Chap. VI. Earwigs, Cockroaches, Crickets, Grasshoppers and Locusts; Chap. VII. Thrips, Lace-winged Flies and Mayflies; Chap. VIII. Bees, Wasps, Ants and Ichneumons; Chap. IX. Butterflies and Moths; Chap. X. Frog-hoppers, Plant-lice, Scale Insects, Bugs and Fleas; Chap. XI. Two-winged Flies; Chap. XII. Wingless Insects—Mites, Spiders and Cudworms.

The concluding chapters on the Flora of Harting possess no less interest for the botanist than do the preceding ones for the zoologist. We are presented with an account of the forest trees,