39 



(Charles Nicolas Sigisbert) is also merely a slightly modified reprint of the same 

 work. The last is entitled : Histoire Naturelle generale et particuliere des Poissona ; 

 ouvrage faisaut Suite a 1' Histoire Naturelle, generale et particuliere; composee par 

 Leclerc de Buffon, et mise dans un nouvel ordre [v. 9, 10, 11, " Redige"] par C. S. 

 Sonnini, avec des notes et additions. Par C. S. Sonnini, . . . . — Paris, de l'impri- 

 merie de F. Dufart, an XI [— ] XII [1803-1805— 8vo., 13 vols.] 



A work by an able man and eloquent writer (even prone to aid rhetoric by the 

 aid of the imagination, in absence of desirable facts), but which, on account of undue 

 confidence in others, default of comparison of materials from want thereof and other- 

 wise, and carelessness generally, is entirely unreliable. Many species appear under 

 several different names, and in genera widely separated. The classification adopted 

 is a procrustean system of (1) subclasses, (2) divisions, and (3) orders. 



First, Subclasses, based on the supposed consistence of the skeleton (Sousclasses 

 (1) Poissons cartilagineux ; (2) Poissons osseux). 



Second, Divisions, under each subclass, established on the supposed presence or 

 absence and various combinations (4) of the opercula and branchiostegal membrane 

 that is, the presence of both ; of one; or, the other; or, none. 



Third, Ordens, distinguished by the absence of ventrals (Apodes), or their presence 

 at different regions (Jugulaires, Thoracins, Abdominaux). 



Several of these categories are non-existent in nature, and the reference of species 

 to them is due to erroneous observation or supposition. 



Fourteen hundred and sixty-three (14(53) nominal species were described. 



1801. 

 BLOCH (Marc Elieser), and Johann Gottlob SCHNEIDER. M. E. Blochii, 

 Doctoris Medicinae Berolinensis, et societatibus literariis multis adscripti, 

 Systema Icbthyologiae iconibus ex illustratum. Post obitum anctoris opus 

 inchoatum absolvit, correxit, interpolavit Jo. Gottlob Schneider, Saxo. — Berolini, 

 sumtibus auctoris impressum et bibliopolio Sanderiano commissum. 1801. 

 [8vo., lx, 584 pp., 110 col. pi.] 

 A compilation in which the various species described by authors are collected 

 together, and referred with very little judgment to the genera admitted. The class 

 is arranged in a new manner, avowedly according to the number of the fins, but very 

 frequently in defiance of their true number and morphology, as notably in the genera 

 1, 2, 4, 7, 21, 37, 38, but, also, in very many others. The system is as follows, the 

 genera described as new (in Bloch's previous works as well as the present) being 

 indicated by italics : — 



Chassis I. Hendecapterygii. (11 fins.) — 1. Lepadogaster. 

 Classis II. Decapterygii. (10 fins.) 

 Ordo i. Jugulares. — 2. Gadus. 

 Ordo ii. Thoracici. — 3. Trigla. 

 Ordo iii. Abdominales. — 4. Polynemus. 

 Classis III. Enneapterygii. (9 fins.) — 5. Scomber. 

 Classis IV. Octoptervgii. (8 fins.) 



Ordo i. Jugulares.— 6. lallionymus ; 7. Batrachus ; 8. Uranoscopus ; 9. 



Encheh/opus ; 10. Trachinus ; 11. Plii/cis. 

 Ordo ii. Thoracici.— 12. Platycephalus ; 13. Cottus ; 14. Periophthalmns ; 

 15. Eleotris ; 1(>. Gobi us ; 17. Johnius ; 1«. Mulltn; 19. Sciama ; 20. 

 Perca; 21. Xiphias: 22. Zeus; 23. Brama .- 24. Monocentris ; 25. 

 Lonchurus ; 20. Macrurus ; 27. Agonus ; 28. Eques. 



