1S3S. HOUSE— No. 72. 37 



pare all which are doubtful, with those with which they may be con- 

 founded ; — I would never admit a single species into the State's cata- 

 logue, which could be at a future day disproved, or even doubted ; — 

 preferring, that further investigation should add hundreds to the list, 

 rather than that one should ever be erased from it. 



Trusting, that the reasons I have offered, may be considered suf- 

 ficient for my catalogue not being prepared — and that another season 

 will be allowed me to collect the needed materials, I would present 

 the following general observations upon the subjects submitted to my 

 attention. 



No branch of Natural History has been more neglected in this 

 country than Ichthyology — nor is this surprising. The beauty or 

 facilities of acquiring the different species of Birds and Insects, and 

 Shells, and Plants, and Minerals, have ever rendered them objects of 

 study. While the disgusting appearance of several species ; the dif- 

 ficulty of procuring many, and of preserving even our most common 

 Fishes, have caused them to remain almost entirely unnoticed. When 

 the importance of the subject, however, is considered — the univer- 

 sal distribution of this class of aninials is recalled — in some countries, 

 being an important article of commerce ; in others, the principal sub- 

 sistence of a great portion of the people — it deserves equally the at- 

 tention of the scientific naturalist and enlightened economist. 



Innumerable instances might be adduced to show, that immense 

 sums had been in former times, expended for certain species, — that 

 sea and land have been compassed to gratify depraved appetites, and 

 pamper the insatiable epicure. That a Prince should ever have been 

 such a glutton as to have expended 300 rubles for a Sturgeon soup — or, 

 a Gerujan Countess, so regardless of the necessities of those around her 

 as to lavish the larger portion of her income in the purchase of Tur- 

 bofs liver — or, that a single Mullet, should ever have been consider- 

 ed worth between 60 and 70 pounds sterling — that such, and many 

 otlier similar examples of prodigality which might be adduced, serve 

 only to point out instances of uncommon extravagance, and do not 

 awaken the slightest interest with regard to the real utility of ihe sub- 

 ject, is obvious. I shall, therefore, — avoiding all reference to what- 

 ever is extraneous to my subject, — take a glance at those Fishes found 



