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[NEW EDITION, WITH SEVERAL ADDITIONS.] 

 Dear Sir, — 



Having been engaged for several years in the preparation of a Natural History of the Fishes of the United States, 

 I wish, before beginning the printing of my work, to collect as extensive materials as possible, respecting the geographical 

 distribution of these animals. It has occurred to me, that by means of a circular containing directions for collecting fishes I 

 might obtain the information required. I should, indeed, like to secure separate collections of our fishes from every bay 

 and inlet aloag the coast, and from every stream, river, creek, lake, and pond upon the mainland, throughout the whole 

 country, and am satisfied that such collections would furnish invaluable information respecting the geographical distribu- 

 tion of our aquatic animals. I would thank you for any assistance and contribution you can furnish from your quarter 

 of the country, and duly acknowledge it in my work ; and since I extend my investigations to all the branches of Natural 

 History, any specimens besides fishes, which may be obtained, would be equally acceptable, including geological specimens 

 and fossil remains. In return I would propose exchanges of other specimens if desired, or reciprocate the favor in any 

 other way in my power, and pay the e^^penses incurred in making collections for me. Specimens from foreign countries 

 are also solicited, especially when their origin is satisfactorily ascertained. Any person into whose hands this circular 

 may come, feeling inclined to correspond with me upon these subjects, is requested to address me under the following 



direction : — 



L. AGASSIZ, 



Professor of Zootogy and Geology in the 

 LaiBrence Scientijic School, at 



Cambridge, Mass. 

 DIRECTIONS FOR COLLECTING FISHES AND OTHER OBJECTS OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



The present condition of our science requires collections made in a very different spirit from those gathered in former 

 years. The naturalist must not only know all the different kinds of animals ; he must also become acquainted with the 

 changes they undergo while growing, and with their geographical range. To arrive at this knowledge, it is necessary to 

 obtain, separately, complete collections from every district upon the mainland, from every inlet along the sea-shores, and 

 from every distinct fresh-water basin, and to select a number of specimens of every kind, if possible so as to include the 

 young, as well as the adults, males and females.* The number and diversity of species found in our fresh waters espe- 

 cially, is much greater than is usually supposed by accidental observers. A variety of little fishes, sometimes belonging 

 even to different families, are almost everywhere used for bait by fishermen, and frequently mistaken under one common 

 name. Minnows, or supposed to be simply the young of larger kinds. Among these, most valuable discoveries may be 

 made. There are still districts in our country where a naturalist may fish half a dozen new species and more of these 

 small nondescripts, in a single creek, within a few hours. f A small hand-net is very useful to collect these smallest kinds 

 of fishes, and I have generally found that I could more easily obtain this small fry from boys, than from either fishermen 

 or anglers. Again, scores of fishes are indiscriminately called Bass, Perch, Sunfish, Suckers, &c., in different parts of 

 the country, which, when compared side by side, prove as different from one another as a robin and a crow. It is, there- 

 fore, a matter of great importance for the naturalist to get every species of fish from every water-basin, that he may have 

 an opportunity of ascertaining for himself how far they agree, and how far they differ, in different watercourses. Anglers 

 and professional fishermen generally know the fishes of their own fishing-grounds much better than naturalists, and from 

 them most valuable information may be obtained respecting the species inhabiting their neighborhood. There is, on that 

 account, no difficulty in ascertaining from them whether a complete collection of all the fishes of any given locality has 

 been obtained. But the difficulty begins when it is attempted to identify the fishes of distant places, relying upon their 

 names for comparison. Such is the confusion of these names in different sections of the country, arising from the use of 

 the same names for different objects, and of different names for the same objects, that nothing short of complete collections 

 obtained separately Xiom every important locality will prevent the naturalist from making gross mistakes in his identifica- 

 tion of species from remote localities. Few men not trained in the study of Natural History are prepared to believe that 

 even the fishes living in the head-waters of a river may differ entirely from those living in its middle and lower course, 



* There are many species of our fishes in which the sexes differ as much as among our fowls. 



t It actually happened to me last winter, at Mobile, Ala., and at St. Louis, Bio., -to discover six and even eight new species of fishes in a single day. 



