PREFACE. 



In this work 1 have endeavoured to include all the vertebrates 

 which have been found within the boundaries of the Province of Ontario. 



Fishes. 



The classification and .--equence of groups adopted for the Fishes is 

 that t)f Jordan and Evermann, to whom I am also chiefly indebted for 

 the technical descriptions. 



In the description of species the expressions "head 4" or "depth 

 4" mean that the length of the head in one case, or the g^reatest depth 

 of the body in the other, is contained 4 times in the length of the fish 

 measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the last caudal verte- 

 bra, the caudal fin being- not included. The size of the eye and the 

 leng-th of snout and other head parts are compared with the leng^th of 

 the side of the head, unless otherwise stated; thus "eye 5" means that 

 the horizontal diameter of the eye is 1-5 the length of the head, "scales 

 5-64-7" means that there are 5 rows of scales between the base of the 

 dorsal fin and the lateral line (the scale in the lateral line excluded), 64 

 oblique transverse series crossing- the lateral line and 7 horizontal series 

 between the lateral line and the base of the anal or the vent. 



The fin formube are shortened as much as possible; thus "D. 10," 

 "D. IV, 9," or "D. \TIT-i3" means that in the first case the fish has 

 a sing-le dorsal fin of 10 soft or articulated rays ; in the second case a 

 sing-le dorsal fin of 4 spines and 9 soft rays ; and the last indicates a fish 

 with two dorsal fins, the first coniposcd of 8 spines and the second of 

 ] 3 rays. 



Spines are always indicated in roman letters and rays in arabic 

 letters. 



The measurements g-iven are intended to apply to the averag-e of 

 mature fishes. Young- fishes usually have the depth less, the head and 

 eye larg-er and the mouth smaller in proportion than adult examples of 

 the same species. 



The coloration and markings of fishes is extremely variable, no two 

 individuals being- exactly alike ; and not only so, but each individual 

 chang^es its color from time to time in accordance with its surroundings. 



Consequently this character cannot be relied on in disting-uishing- 

 a species, there being- but very few, if any, which show in all stag-es 

 the same coloration and markingfs. 



[5] 



