Remarks on the Natural History of Fishes. 347 
the jaws were open, it could receive a morsel as large as a man’s 
head.” What excuse then can be offered for his illustrating this 
species with the plate of a distinct fish—a foreign species—be- 
longing to another genus, which grows only to the length of ten 
or twelve inches! the “ Chironectes histrio.” Such negligence 
cannot be overlooked ; we have the “ piscatorius” in our waters; 
orhad the author preferred, as he ever seemed to have done, to 
copy from figures rather than from nature, he could have found 
a plate of it in any work on Ichthyology. 
I have no doubt that Cuvier is correct in considering the 
“ Scomber grex” and “ vernalis” as the same species. 
Neither the “chrysos” nor the “ plumbeus” do I know. 
Eight pagesare occupied with the “ Scomber scomber”—“ Euro- 
pean Mackerel ;” it is not found on our coast. 
Respecting the “ Surmuilet,’ I would only introduce a single 
remark of Dr. Richardson. “ Mudllus, in its geographical distri- 
bution, is confined to the Black Sea, Mediterranean, and Euro- 
pean Atlantic, including the Baltic.” 
Upon page 307, we are told that “the spinous fins (of the 
Tunny) have a yellowish tinge ;” as the finlets are the only por- 
tions of the fish, which are yellow, they are probably intended. 
The “ Centronotus ductor” — pilot fish,” may possibly be found 
within the waters of Massachusetts, although I have never been 
able to procure one. 
The “ Zeus JSaber”—common dory, I have never seen, nor 
heard of as being found in our waters. 
Although we are told in the volume before us, that the “ Chry- 
Sotosus luna”—({“ Lampris guttatus,”) “has been taken within 
a day’s sail of Boston ;? and Richardson in his “ Fauna Boreal 
Americana” accordingly observes under the head of this fish, that 
“Dr. Smith enumerates it among the fish of Massachusetts ;” 
Ihave never been able to learn any thing regarding it, from any 
of the fishermen, and therefore, although as it is a northern 
Species, further investigation may establish its existence In our 
Waters, I should be unwilling to consider the point as proved 
from the notice here referred to. 
Dr. Smith, tells us évo species of “ Sword fish” have been 
discovered : Cuvier knew but one. : 
The “ Seserinus alepidotus” is here catalogued in the family 
“Squampenss,” instead of the “ Scomberoides,” as it should have 
