Miscellanies. 393 
Vieillot, in 1807, from specimens obtained in St. Domingo. It has, 
however, been for many years past known as a resident of the Rocky 
Mountains, from which region it has gradually moved eastward, and 
has been successively discovered in Kentucky, upon the banks of the 
Ohio, in New York, Maine, and of late in other New England states, 
their appearance being followed by the partial exclusion of the barn 
swallow. The nest, generally found in colonies, but occasionally 
solitary, is composed of clay, having the form of an inverted retort 
bulb, the mouth being below and the interior lined. with soft sub- 
stances. 
Nov. 20; 1839.—Grorcr B. Emerson, Esq., President, in the chair. 
Amos Binney, Esq., made a report on the volume entitled, Reports 
on the Fishes, Reptiles and Birds of Massachusetts, giving a detailed 
account of the history and progress of these Reports, and entering 
into a critical examination of their contents. 
The report on Fishes by Dr. Storer, makes up the greater part of the 
volume, and constitutes an important contribution to American natural 
history. Considering the short period of time allowed for its comple- 
tion, it is exceedingly creditable to the author’s science, and tu his dili- 
gence and perseverance. A new impulse has latterly been given to the 
study of ichthyology, by the publication of the works of Cuvier and Va- 
lenciennes, and of Yarrell. The cultivators of science will hail the pres- 
ent work with pleasure, as coming froma ae wed whose ichthyology 
was not long since pronounced by Cuvier to be a desideratum in natu- 
ral history. But its appearance has an importance at this time inde- 
pendent of its own particular merits, since it will serve as an effective 
check to the propagation of the mistakes and impositions of another 
work on Massachusetts fishes, which has already been quoted by re- 
spectable authors, and which was thus beginning to introduce confu- 
sion and error into science. 
Of the small number of fishes appertaining to our territory, the whole 
number described being one hundred and nine, it is truly wonderful that 
they comprise ali those genera and many of the species which contrib- 
ute so largely to the subsistence of mankind, and which have for ages 
furnished the materials of an important branch of the commerce of 
nations. ‘The pages of this work furnish ample proof of their impor- 
tance to our community, by making known the fact that there are eigh- 
teen species which are objects of extended trade, and fifty-nine addi- 
tional species, which, distributed by the bountiful hand of nature in 
countless numbers in the sea and fresh waters, and within reach of the 
Poorest citizen, are or may be used as wholesome and nutritious food ; 
while there only thirty-three species, which from their diminutive 
size, their hideous form, their coarse structure, or from some prejudice 
Vol. xxxvinr, No. 2.—Jan.-March, 1840, 50 
