Notice of the Report on the Fishes of New York. 279 
ichthyologist has compared the two, and shown distinctions, we 
shall continue to believe our species to be the old Lophius piscato- 
rius of Linnzeus, Cuvier, Pennant, Donovan, Fleming, and others. 
_ Batrachus tau, (p. 168,)—We have here an instance of the 
absurdity of retaining the specific name first given to a species, 
whether it has any or no significancy—whether it is appropriate 
ornot. I will use the words of Dr. Dekay: “The apparently 
odd specific name of tau, given by Linnzeus, is derived from the 
Greek name of the letter T; such a figure being produced on 
the head by two elevated lines in the dried specimens.” In other 
words, this species cannot be identified when living, because its 
scientific (not its natural) characters do not appear until it is dead. 
_ Ctenolabrus wninotatus, (p. 174.)—This fish, which is made 
anew species by Cuvier, in which he is followed by Dekay, is 
a mere variety of the common burgall, which may be seen by 
occasional visit to the fish market. si 
. Pimelodus catus, (p. 182.)—It is very questionable whether 
this specific name should be retained, when there are several spe- 
cies of the genus, all of which our author calls cat-fish. 
_Labeo gibbosus, (p. 194.) Catostomus tuberculatus, (p. 199.) 
The former of these species I introduced into my report on the 
fishes of Massachusetts as a new species, upon the authority of 
Lesueur, with his description, never having met with a specimen 
myself. I was exceedingly surprised to find the two species in 
the volume before me classed under distinct genera. — ‘My friend 
Mr. W. O. Ayres, of East Hartford, Ct., whose zeal in the cause 
of ichthyology is equalled only by his accurate knowledge of the 
species in his vicinity, has determined that so far from being dis- 
: listinet species, but that they real- 
#hatr ara nnt 
tinct genera, they are not even 
ly are one and the sags oT De ‘ is oe Te 
_ Stilbe chrysoleucas, (Pp. )—Dr. - y - marked out 
what he considers a ne oi and calls it Stilbe, and as a syno- 
nym of the species under this genus, he places “ Leuciscus 
chrysoleucas, New York shiner, Storer, Fishes of Massachusetts, 
p. 88.” Hither Dr. Dekay or myself, are in error. He says 
there ‘is ashort spine before the dorsal fin, which is short. 
Anal fin long.” The identical specimen which furnished my 
description, which prompted Dr. Dekay to quote it as a synonym, 
has belonged to the cabinet of this society, since the hour it was 
described ; it is now on your table for examination. The anal fin, 
