RemarJcs on the Natural History of Fishes. 343 



signated as the " Horn pout," and described as our fish^ which 

 belongs to a distinct genus. Dr. Smith observes, " there are 

 two species (of Silurus) in this vicinity. I never heard of one. 



From a careful inspection of our market for two years, and a 

 constant intercourse with fishermen during that period, several of 

 whom for a long time were bank jisher^nen, I am satisfied the 

 Bank cod — '' Morrhua vulgaris," is not taken in our waters. I 

 have accordingly described our species in my report under the 

 name of " M. Americana." 



The '• Merlucius vulgaris" — Hake, is called by our fishermen 

 the " Whiting;" our author, learning therefore that the Whi- 

 ting was found on our coast, has supposed of course that it was 

 the European Whiting, and we accordingly have here an ac- 

 count of the '^ merlangus vulgai-is," which is not seen with us. 



Our ^^ Pollock" is not the European fish, but the '■'■ purpureus" 

 of Mitchill. 



What can be more amusing than the remarks which we find 

 under the genus '• Raniceps." The " Blemiius viviparous" and 

 " Raniceps trifurcatus" are here side by side as synonymes of the 

 same fish — Blenny. The one belonging to the order Acantho- 

 TERYGn, family Gobioidae ; the other, to the order Malac- 

 oPTERYGii, family Gadidae. This is not all ; a perfect burlesque 

 of the " viviparous hlenny," appears in the form of a figure 

 copied from Strack, with these remarks accompanying it ; " on 

 looking over that splendid series of German lithographic plates 

 of fishes, by Dr. Strack, 1828, an exact figure even to the color- 

 ing was noticed, which truly exhibits the blenny of the harbors 

 of Massachusetts, and must therefore, we strongly suspect, have 

 been drawn from the American blenny." After reading the 

 above, what can the student think, when we tell him that this fish 

 was never found in our waters ; that our blenny is totally un- 

 like the " viviparous," and instead of being caricatured in " the 

 splendid series of German plates," was, years ago, figured by 

 Professor Peck, in the American Academy's Transactions, as the 

 " anguillaris," formed by nature. 



Determined to have a " Raniceps," we find that Dr. Smith has 

 here introduced the '■^ blewriioides ;" the individual which he 

 speaks of, as " a cream colored fish truly disgusting in appear- 

 ance," was purchased of him by this society, and proves to be a 

 specimen with the cuticle abraded^ of what he upon page 243 



