126 NOMENCLATURE OF STIZOSTEDION—GILL. vol. xvii. 



qnently is associated with the representatives of the geuus belonging 

 to its own fauna rather than to those of the American fauna. 



THE PROPER NAME OF THE PIKE-PERCHES. 



The scientific name generally given to the pike-perches by the 

 American naturalists is SUzosteilion^ or some orthographic modification 

 thereof. Under any form, it is so objectionable to me that I would 

 like to see it displaced, especially by so euphonious and appropriate a 

 name as Lticioperca. I therefore long ago sought to find a date for 

 the latter which would anticipate >Sfizostedio)i, and called attention to 

 the publication of the French name (Les Sandres) in 1817.* I was, 

 however, unable to find any but the French name and between that and 

 the formal bestowal of the latin Lucioperca two or three others inter- 

 vened, Stizostedion, Sandaf, and perhaps Sandriis. Although I had 

 come to such a conclusion I was nevertheless disposed to Avelconie Mr. 

 Boulenger's recent interpretation of Cuvier's words in proposing a sub- 

 generic isolation of the pike-perches, in tlie hope that Lucioperca might 

 be legitimately revived. But another review of the case compels me 

 to adhere (most reluctantly) to my former conviction. That the strain 

 of the interpretation j^roposed by Mr. Boulenger is too great is rendered 

 evident by the consideration of Cuvier's language, and the action of two 

 of his compatriots and others with regard to it. 



In 1817, Cuvier distinguished from the '•'■ Gentropomes^'' (including 

 Centropomus and Lates) a new division in the following terms: 



Je distiugne des Centkopomes. 



Les Sandkes. Cuv. 



Qui out aussi des dentelures an preopercule, sans piquaus a I'opercule, mais dont 

 le tete entiere est d^pourve d'ecailles, efc la gueule aruiee do deuts pointues et ecar- 

 t^es, ce qui leur a fait douner le nom de lucio perca. (Brocket perche.) 



I had always interi)reted this statement to mean that the pointed 

 distant teeth had procured (from others) for the species the name 

 of pike-perch and that the name Lucioperca was not formally given to 

 the genus, and in fact that the genus was not really scientifically 

 named. Thus had most others also interpreted the paragraph. An 

 analogous paragraph in the work of Cuvier and Valenciennes (vol. 2, 

 p. 110) seems likewise to supi^ort such an interpretation. 



Both passages taken together clearly show that Cuvier simply stated 

 a historical fact and did not formulate a uomenclatural proposition. 



In 1820, Eafinesque described a pike perch as Perca salmonea and 

 proposed a subgenus for it in the following terms : 



The Perca Salmonea may also form a peculiar subgenus, or section distinguished 

 by the cylindrical shape of the body, long head and jaws, large teeth, and a second 

 spine outside of the opercule over the base of the pectoral fins. It may be called 

 Stizostedion, which means pungent throat. 



See Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phila., 1861, p. 47. 



