340 Remarks on the Natural History of Fishes. 
introduce it here with a plate of the pastinaca—the European 
species—especially as other species of this genus have been found 
on the coast of Rhode Island, to which this is much more likely 
to belong. 
An elaborate account of the Stwrgeon—acipenser sturio—ac- 
companied by a figure, follows the Setacui: the Massachusetts 
sturgeon is the stwrio oryrinchus. 
Four species are here included in the Piecroenarur. The 
aluteres monoceros proves to be a new species to which I have 
affixed the name of “ Massachusetensis” in my report to the Gov- 
ernor: neither the ostracion triqueter nor bicaudalis have I ever 
heard of on our coast. The specimen which Dr. Smith sup- 
posed to be the latter fish, is a new species to which I gave the 
name of Yalei, in a communication read to this society in 1836. 
Under the head of Tetraodon turgidus—swell fish—we find 
the following sentence, which cannot be passed over unnoticed, 
however unwilling we may feel to write a line of unmixed cen- 
su “The only apology we can make for not having dissected 
one of them with reference to explaining their internal organiza- 
tion, is the poor one, that there has not been time since the com- 
mencement of this essay.” Here we see an author voluntarily 
coming before the public, dedicating his labors to a distin- 
guished LL. D., and offering as an apology for a neglect $0 
palpable that his own conscience accuses him, that he needed 
time! It is humiliating enough for him who has but a certain 
time allowed him in which to perform a duty, to be compelled to 
offer such an excuse, although he has a right to expect the cit 
cumstances of his case will be considered; but, when an individ- 
ual to consult his own convenience, chooses to publish a superfi- 
cial treatise with his name prefixed as its responsible author, such 
an apology cannot be received by naturalists—regardless as he ap- 
pears alike of his own reputation and the true interests of science, 
Although in the LopHosrancun, the Syngnathus typhle 's 
described, and illustrated by a figure, I have not heard of its 
having been seen in Massachusetts. 'T'wo species have been sent 
me by correspondents, both of which are new, and will appear in 
my report. 
Having reached the order MaLacopreryGit ABDOMINALES, 
the genus Salmo, three species of trout are introduced, the “ trut- 
ta, and “ fario,” and “‘hucho,” while the only one I have been 
In 
