SYSTEM OF NOMENCLATURE. 138 



Carolina and the neighbouring States, which is mentioned as 

 the "White Salmon/' by Smith, in his history of Virginia; and 

 which is said to abound in the rivers of Pennsylvania. This is, 

 I doubt not, the fish alluded to by a recent writer in the " Spirit 

 of the Times," as the Susquehana Salmon, unless perchance 

 another nameless fish, the Perca Lucioperca, is intended. The 

 southern Trout is of the Perch family — nothing more remote 

 from Trout — though in form it has some resemblance to the 

 Salmonid(B. It is the Grystes Salmo'ides of Cuvier, the Labre 

 Salmo'ide of Lacepede, both terms indicating its family as of the 

 Perch or Bass, and its similarity to the Salmons ; but it has 

 no English name at all, unless we adopt the vulgarism of calling- 

 it a Trout, which is no less absurd than it would be to call a 

 Pickerel, Salmon. 



These prevalent misnomers, and this total absence of real and 

 rational names, are of great disadvantage, creating excessive 

 confusion, and puzzling all, except the scientific naturalist. It 

 is much to be regretted, that the Indian terms have not always 

 been retained ; for, when interpreted, they are almost invariably 

 found to be truly distinctive; and it is greatly to be desired that, 

 on the discovery of new genera, or varieties, this system of 

 nomenclature may be adopted, as it has been by Professor 

 Agassiz, with regard to the Siskawitz, a new lacustrine Trout, 

 discovered by him, during the past summer, in the great waters 

 of Huron and Superior. 



With regard to those misnamed long ago, the misnomers of 

 which have become familiar, and as it were stereotyped by the 

 lapse of time, it is difficult to say what is to be done, or how the 

 evil is to be remedied ; and it is to be feared that the Coregotius 



