40 Shufeldt — Robert Collett on Pterycombus brama Fries. 



colepis and that was the common " Pomfret " from the coast of 

 South America and elsewhere. This fish belongs to the family 

 Bramidx and is known to science as Brama rail, and I regret to 

 say that up to the present writing no example of it has ever 

 been in my possession for anatomical or other examination. 

 Poey had already pointed out the presence of the long vertical 

 linear scales in Grammicolepis ; these also occur in Brama, 

 though they are much shorter and principally evident in the 

 mid-lateral area. However, apart from the decidedly forked 

 tail and small eye of Brama, there are at least some points in 

 the external appearance of the latter to remind us of Grammi- 

 colepis.* 



In going over my collection of author's ichthyological reprints 

 lately, I met with a copy of Professor Robert Collett's valuable 

 contribution on Pterycombus brama, which was published in the 

 Norwegian language some twelve years ago.t This paper with 

 its two plates throws not a little light on the morphology of 

 both Grammicolepis and Brama, and upon this account, if no 

 other, it is quite worthy of a translation into English. 

 Dr. Collett writes me that it has never been so rendered, as far 

 as he is aware. By the aid of my camera I have copied, and 

 herewith reproduce, the two plates illustrating it. 



My translation of the original contribution is as follows: 



Through the courtesy of curator Sturm, of the Museum in Trondhjem, 

 I had the opportunity in the summer of 1895 to examine a recently cap- 

 tured, and very well preserved, specimen of Pterycombus brama, taken 

 upon the coast of Nordland during the spring of the same year. As the 

 Museum of the University of Christiania had already in its collection 

 three examples of the same species,; and as I at the same time, through 



* This may bo appreciated by comparing my figure of Grammicolepis and the one of 

 " Brama rait," plate 112 of Goode's The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the Unit' <l 

 States, 1884. it will be noted, that in the ease of Brama the low dorsal tin is continuous 

 and the pectoral tin long and acute, which is not like what we find in the form 

 described by Poey. 



+ Collett. K. Out Pterycombus brama Fries, Bergens Museums Aarbog, 1896. No. 

 VI, with two plates. One of these latter presents a right lateral figure of the species, 

 and the other a left lateral figure of its entire skeleton. 



In conversation with Dr. Tarleton H. Bean I am told that a. translation of this 

 paper would be of great value to such students of ichthyology as were unable to read 

 the work in the original. This translation has been kindly made for me by Miss M. V. 

 Overland, of New York city, a translation that, so far as my labors were concerned, 

 merely required a transcription into the language of science. Doctor Bean further 

 informs me that there are no specimens of Pterycombus brama in the United States, s<> 

 far as lie is aware. 



J One in alcohol, one dried, and one skeleton. 



