xii AMERICAN FISHES. 



who desires to make a serious study of the technical portion of American 

 ichthyology. My own little library of works on fish and fishing is far 

 from complete, yet it includes over two thousand volumes and pamphlets, 

 and my "Bibliography of American Ichthyology," which I hope to pub- 

 lish within the next two years, comprises nearly ten thousand titles of 

 books and papers. It is evident that it is impossible to make a book on 

 American fishes which shall include more than a very small part, indeed, of 

 what might be said upon the subject. I hope that the readers of this 

 volume will feel that a judicious selection of topics has been made. 



Only the most important species are referred to, and in the discussion 

 of them all descriptive matters are omitted save those which relate to 

 color. There is an Oriental proverb to the effect that, " Though the dis- 

 tance between the ear and the eye is very small, the difference between 

 hearing and seeing is very great." 



Acting in the spirit of this wise saying, a figure of almost every species * 

 discussed is presented, by the aid of which any one interested in fishes 

 can determine the correct zoological name of the form before him, and 

 by referring to the accompanying text can learn what is known about its 

 geographical range, habits, methods of capture and economical uses. 

 Exact bibliographical references are given in footnotes, to direct the 

 reader to fuller discussions of subjects referred to when there are such in 

 existence. 



In the preparation of this book constant use has been made of my own 

 previous writings, and especially to the quarto work on Food Fishes, 

 published by the Government in 1885. Upon that work, in fact, this 

 one is based, being essentially a rearrangement in condensed form. The 

 text has, however, been for the most part rewritten, and much new matter 

 has been added. One of my chief motives in preparing this volume lias 

 been the desire to see some of the results of twenty years' study of fishes 

 printed in substantial and dignified form, in a book which shall not look 

 out of place on a library shelf; for it has been my lot hitherto to have all 

 the products of my pen published in those dismal looking bunches of papers 

 known as public documents, which of necessity must be classified among 

 Charles Lamb's " books which are not books." 



The author acknowledges his extended and continued indebtedness, in 



* Nearly all of the figures of American species are copied from the figures in the publications of the U.S. 

 Fish Commission, and, by the kind consent of Prof. Baird, the engravings have in most instances been made 

 direct from the original drawings. The remainder have been copied from standard European authorities. 



