PREFACE. 



In the course of several years residence on a small 

 island in Boston harbor, the author became interested 

 in the study of ichthyology. The daily opportunities 

 which the locality afforded of examining a large portion 

 of the species described in the following pages, resulted, 

 three years since, in a catalogue of the fishes of the 

 Northern States ; — but within a few months past, the 

 manuscript has been revised, and that part of it is now 

 presented, which more particularly relates to Massa- 

 chusetts. 



There are many unfortunate errors, and repetitions, 

 which escaped notice, till it was too late to make the 

 corrections. The distance at which the writer resides 

 from the compositor, and the extreme difficulty, often- 

 times, of going to the city, against wind and tide, are 

 some, among many apologies, that might be offered 

 in extenuation of these vexatious deformities. A table 

 of errata, however, is inserted at the end. 



With respect to the engravings, they are far short, 

 in many instances, of what was anticipated. Some of 



