ZOOLOGY. 



By Prof. Theodore Gill. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The progress of Zoology during- 1883 has been unattended by any 

 startling- discoveries, but, nevertheless, has not been less real than 

 during the past. Not the least unimportant of the events that has at 

 least given a new impulse to scientific investigation, and caused a kind 

 of census and review of past acquisitions to be made, was what has been 

 justly called "The Great International Fisheries Exhibition " held in 

 London during the summer and autumn of the year. The exhibit was 

 very large, the numbers of visitors were unexpectedly great (and expec- 

 tations were high), and a large surplus in money gains was the result. 

 The greatest gain, however, was in the knowledge acquired, the numer- 

 ous publications which were the direct outcome of the exhibition, 

 and, above all, the impulse to new investigations. As one of the re- 

 sults, is a movement to organize and equip a well-provided laboratory 

 at some central point on the English coast where facilities may be had, 

 such as have given the Naples zoological station a world wide renown. 

 One of the most important zoological publications, at least as far as 

 American zoologists are concerned, is a u Synopsis of the Eishes of 

 North America," published by Messrs. Jordan and Gilbert. It supplies, 

 as well as could be expected iu the present condition of Ichthyology, a 

 great want, and one that has long been felt. A quite extended notice 

 of the work will be found in the subsequent pages of this report. 



As in the previous reports, the language of the original from which 

 the abstract is compiled is generally followed as closely as the case 

 will permit It has, however, been found necessary to limit the ab- 

 stract to the illustration of the prominent idea underlying the origi- 

 nal memoir, and pass by the proofs and collateral arguments. At tlie 

 same time it has been often attempted to bring the new discovery into 

 relation with the previous status of information respecting the group 

 under consideration. As to the special discoveries recorded, they have 

 been generally selected (1) on account of the modifications the forms 

 considered force on the system ; or (2) for the reason that they are or 

 have been deemed to be of high taxonomic importance; or (3) because 



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