90 The Life and Writings of 



THE FISHES OF THE OHIO. 



The series of papers on the fishes of the Ohio was 

 also issued in separate form, the volume being made up 

 of oversheets from the magazine mentioned. The title 

 given was the &quot; Ichthyologia Ohiensis&quot;. A new brief 

 introduction precedes the paper, which was wanting as 

 it appeared in the Western Review, but in all other 

 respects the work is identical. Since this book has been 

 the subject of a most various comment, and since it affords 

 a good index to the characteristic literary style of Raf- 

 inesque, it will be proper to give it more than a passing 

 mention. Add to this the fact that it was the first work 

 ever written on the Ohio River fishes, and has thus 

 become the groundwork for all succeeding investigations, 

 and it will be granted that full data respecting this re 

 markable book will be justified in this connection.* 



*The &quot;Ichthyologia Ohiensis&quot; is now an extremely rare volume. Very 

 few copies are known, less than a half dozen in all. The writer succeeded 

 in tracing a copy from the library of the late Doctor Robert Peter, of Lex 

 ington, Kentucky, through the hands of Robert Clarke, of Cincinnati, to 

 the Newberry Library, of Chicago. Not only did this institution refuse to 

 allow us to make a photographic copy of the title-page, to illustrate this 

 work, but even refused to allow us to see the book. Application made at 

 the Librarian s desk elicited only the information, first, that the book was 

 not in the library, and, second, when confronted by the Librarian s own letter 

 to us acknowledging possession, we were informed that &quot; the book could not 

 be seen &quot;. It is felt that this statement is due to others, who may some time 

 wish to consult rare books, in order that time and means should not be wasted 

 in a fruitless journey to Chicago. 



