DR. HOLMES' REPORT 



ON THE FISHES OF MAINE. 



PART II. 



Descriptive Ichthyology. 



We come now to an enumeration of some of the fishes of Maine, 

 including their arrangement into families, — the distinctive charac- 

 teristics of their respective genera, together with their specific 

 descriptions, and such general remarks as facts and observations 

 have suggested. 



It has been seen by a perusal of Part I, that the classification of 

 fishes has always been a rather difficult task, and that from the 

 time attention was first turned to the subject, to the present, con- 

 tinued changes have been made. Increase of knowledge on this 

 subject authorized these changes — successive increase of knowledge 

 authorizes a continuance of changes. Indeed, we may consider 

 this part of Ichthyological science as yet in a transition state, and 

 still progressing towards completion. 



The researches of experienced and enthusiastic devotees to this 

 branch of natural history are continually developing new and 

 interesting facts, each of which either corroborate the correctness 

 of former arrangement or point out such new variations as shall 

 help to a consummation of the work in progress. Even since this 

 survey was in contemplation, discoveries have been made leading 

 those high in authority as to this science to follow out changes 

 already begun with a view to the ultimate perfection of the classi- 

 fication proposed.* 



As before stated, on page 30, I proposed, without considering 



* Those who will examine the recent publications of the Smithsonian Institute, of 

 the Philadelphia Academy of Arts and Sciences, Memoirs of American Academy of 

 Arts, and other scientific periodicals, will be convinced of this. 



