73 ^ The Smithsonian Institution 



Storer, published in 1846, was a notable one, and a compari- 

 son between the two will give some idea of the progress of 

 the science between the two periods. A new edition of this 

 "Synopsis," or rather a new work bearing the title, "The 

 Fishes of North and Middle America," by Doctor Jordan 

 and Doctor B. W. Evermann, appeared later, the first vol- 

 ume having been published in 1896. With the increase of 

 region covered, a great increase of species is naturally in- 

 volved. The last work covers essentially the same ground 

 as Storer's "Synopsis" of 1846, both including the fishes 

 of the continent down to the Isthmus of Panama, as well as 

 those of the West Indian Islands. 



The work of 1846 embraced notices of 729 nominal species, 

 representing 218 genera and 35 families. The work of 

 1896, as appears from the authors' "check-list," will embrace, 

 when completed, descriptions of more than 3100 species, rep- 

 resenting 1053 genera and 228 families. Even more notable 

 than the numerical acquisitions are the mode of treatment 

 and the aptness of diagnoses. 



Last in time, but in some respects the most important of 

 the ichthyological contributions, was a work published as a 

 special bulletin of the United States National Museum. It 

 is also noteworthy as the last complete work emanating from 

 Doctor George Brown Goode, and appeared within a month 

 of his death. Doctor Tarleton H. Bean was his collaborator 

 in this as in many previous memoirs. The new work was on 

 " Oceanic Ichthyology, a treatise on the deep-sea and pelagic 

 fishes of the world, based chiefly upon the collections made 

 by the steamers J3lake, Albatross, and Fish Hawk in the 

 northwestern Atlantic, with an Atlas containing 417 fig- 

 ures." As a summary of knowledge respecting the forms 

 under consideration, the work is an epochal one, and the 

 numerous species contrast remarkably with the few known 



