Why it is given the specific name of chaetodon 

 I do not know, but imagine it is because the 

 family may be considered as being not very 

 far separated from the real chaetodons or 

 Butterfly Fish. The latter belongs to a family 

 called squanipinnes, and the chaetodons are 

 among the leading genera. It is also banded 

 and shaped a little like the famous Butterfly 

 Fishes. 



This is, I am sorry to say, all that I know 

 of the fish. 



Sincerely yours, 

 W. E. MEEHAN, 

 Supt. of Fairmount Park Aquarium, 

 Philadelphia. 



Mr. Walter Lee Rosenberger, 



Dear Sir: — The Chaetodons, of course, are 

 marine tropical fishes, and the specific name of 

 these little Sunfishes merely expresses their 

 similarity in general appearance to the real 

 Chaetodons. 



We have had these fishes at the Aquarium 

 on a few occasions, and have had no difficulty 

 in keeping them in balanced aquaria. They 

 were fed on the same food as other Sunfishes, 

 namely, meal worms, chopped beef, and some 

 prepared fish food. 



If the fish fanciers are accustomed to call 

 these Sunfishes "Chaetodons," it is an error 

 which should be corrected, sii^ce it is altogether 

 confusing, as the name should be applied only 

 to the marine Butterfly Fishes, which have 

 bristle-like teeth in the frort of the jaws, as 

 the name "Chaetodon" signifies. Perhaps if 

 you were to call attention to this point, in your 

 article, it might help to clear up this misun- 

 derstanding. These fish should be called 

 Mesogonistius Chaetodon. 



Very sincerely yours, 

 RAYMOND C. OSBURN, 



Assistant Director, New York Aquarium. 



Through Mr. Richard Rathbun, Assistant 

 Secretary Smithsonian Institution, Washing- 

 ton. D. C, we have received the datn filed in 

 the Institution pertaining to the Mesogonistius 

 32 



