PREFACE. VII 



du Museum (rilistoire Naturelle of Paris. M. I^esueur at one time contemplated 

 publishing a history of North American fishes, but I believe never advanced far- 

 ther than to prepare a few plates and a few pages of letter press. Through the 

 kindness of Mrs. Say, the estimable widow of our great American naturalist, I am 

 indebted for a copy of this work as far as published. The part in my possession 

 contains descriptions of Tetromyzon amcricamis and nigricans, Ammocetes hicolor, 

 and Acipenser ruhicundus ; the plates illustrate these species, and also Pctro^mjzon 

 lamoflcnii, Acipenser maculosus, measius, and two other sturgeons not named on 

 the plate. Most of these are reproduced in the following pages ; and as the 

 work of Lesueur is probably in few hands, I should have copied them all, had 

 they been accompanied with the requisite descriptions. 



Pursuing a chronological order, we have next to mention a work which may 

 be said to have created a new epoch in this department of science. We allude 

 to the Natural History of Fishes, by Cuvier and Valenciennes, of which the 

 first volume appeared in 1828, and which has now reached the sixteenth volume. 

 To judge by the field already explored, it will probably require ten more 

 volumes to complete the work. In this History, which may well serve as a model 

 to future observers for its philosophical spirit and unrivalled accuracy of detail, 

 are to be found many excellent descriptions of North American species. The 

 many obligations I owe to this standard work, will be apparent in the following 

 pages. 



In 1836, Dr. Richardson published a work, which, although limited to the 

 fishes of the northern regions of America, is of great value to the ichthyologist 

 of the United States. It contains original and elaborate descriptions of about 

 .sixty species, illustrated by twenty-four beautiful plates, and is one of the most 

 important contributions to this department. This work is published at the ex- 

 pense of the English government, and we may be allowed to hope that a similar 

 enlightened liberality will be displayed by the government of the United States, 

 in the publication of the results of the late Antarctic exploring expedition. 



The attention of the various Commonwealths of the Union having been di- 

 rected to the examination and description of their various natural products, 

 almost one of its first fruits appeared in 1835, in the form of a copious catalogue 

 of the animals and plants of Massachusetts. In 1838, appeared under the aus- 

 pices of the State of Ohio, a report by Dr. J. P. Kirdand on the Zoology of that 

 State. It contains a catalogue of seventy-two species of fish ; all, of course, 

 fluviatile or lacustrine. It is accompanied by numerous and valuable notes, illus- 



