114 SMITHSONIAN MlSC^ttANEOUS COLtECTlONS VOL. S^ 



Cottids have been little used in medicine, but in Russia, according 

 to Pallas, dried fishes were used by peasants as charms or amulets 

 worn round the neck as antidotes against fevers.^ 



APPENDIX 



While engaged in the examination of Cottids many years ago, I 

 was struck by the fact that there was unusual variation in the num- 

 ber of rays of the ventral fins and was convinced that it had not the 

 systematic value which it might naturally be supposed to have. 

 Recent observations have fully justified the skepticism. Especial 

 observations were made with reference to the value of the number 

 of ventral rays by W. C. Kendall in "Notes on some fresh-water 

 fishes from Maine," published in the Bulletin of the United States 

 Fish Commission for 1902 (XXII, 1904, pp. 361, 362). Dr. Ken- 

 dall examined a large number of individuals of the Cotttis gracilis. 

 "Out of 28 specimens otherwise essentially alike from Caribou, 18 

 had 3 ventral rays in each ventral fin, 6 had 4 rays in each fin, and 4 

 had 4 rays on one side and 3 on the other. Of 15 specimens from 

 six other localities in northern Maine, 4 had 3 rays in each ventral, 

 7 had 4 on each side, and 4 had 3 on one side and 4 on the other. 

 Six specimens from Bear River, Newry, in the western part of 

 Maine, had uniformly 3 rays in each fin." 



Being desirous to have still fuller statistics respecting the structure 

 of the ventral fins and the development of sexual characters in the 

 genus Coitus, I requested Mr. Alfred C. Weed/ assistant -in the 

 Division of Fishes, to compile certain data. He kindly prepared for 

 mc the results of examination of 50 specimens of the Cottus 

 vichardsouii. 



' In cibo a nemine adhibctiir, sed siccatum, amuleti instar, appcndunt collo, 

 lit pectus tangat, crcduntque prodesse ad Tertianas abigendas. Pallas Zoo- 

 graphia Rosso-Asiatica. 3, 126. No special locality in llijc Russian empire is 

 nicntinncd in connection with tlic superstition. 



