PREFATORY NOTE. 



The Sixth Volume of the Memoirs is composed of papers dealing exclusively 

 with fossil and recent fishes. This is the result of mere chance. The various 

 papers dealing with these animals happened to be ready for publication and were 

 taken up and incorporated in the volume as they were presented by their authors. 



From an ichthyological standpoint the amount of information contained in 

 the pages of this book is very great, and the results of the researches embodied 

 in its pages mark a decided advance in our knowledge of the subjects treated. 

 No less than fifty-four species of recent fishes are described as new to science, 

 and there are thirteen species of fossil fishes which are for the first time described. 

 Several new genera have been erected by the authors who have contributed to the 

 volume. 



The authors represented in these memoirs are all recognized as leaders in their 

 respective fields. It may be proper to call attention to the fact that the paper 

 upon the fishes of Japan by Dr. David Starr Jordan, the prince of American ich- 

 thyologists, is stated by him to be his final contribution to his favorite science, to 

 the study of which he has devoted forty years of his busy and successful life. Fol- 

 lowing the example of Linnaeus he gives to the last species, for which he furnishes 

 a name, the specific designation of hona-nox, "Good night!" (cf. p. 306). It is 

 with sentiments of profound regret that his friends realize that Dr. Jordan feels 

 the necessity for bringing his ichthj^ological researches to an end. 



Trusting that this volume of the Memoirs may do much to promote the inter- 

 esting science with which it deals, the Editor sends it forth with a certain feeling 

 of satisfaction as he reviews the laborious hours which were spent by him in pre- 

 paring its pages for publication. No matter how carefully an author may have 

 prepared his manuscript, experience reveals that there are always in these days of 

 typewriters errors inadvertently made in transcription, which call for correction. 

 In the preparation of the publications of the Carnegie Museum the Editor for many 

 years has made it his first duty to carefully read the manuscript, noting all minor 

 errors whether in composition or punctuation, and designating the style of type 

 to be used, thus preparing the manuscript for the printer. He has also supervised 

 the preparation of the illustrations and the arrangement of the figures upon the 



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