Fishes of Massachusetts. 



347 



posure to the sun, and forms a crust including the subja- 

 cent sand. In this state the tide comes in quietly, de- 

 taches successive portions of this crust, in larger or smaller 

 pieces, which are borne a\vay by the retreating tide. May 

 not this silent and hitherto unnoticed transportation coun- 

 teract, to a certain extent, the operation of other known 



4 



agents ? It is not philosophical, I admit, to impute im- 

 portant effects to slight and apparently inadequate causes : 

 but it is equally unphilosophical to neglect trifling phe- 

 nomena until the nature and extent of their agency has 



been thoroughly investigated." , 



I will only add, that I possess some of these sandy 

 films, found on the coast in the southeast part of Massa- 

 chusetts, to which the dried animals are still attached, 

 I hope the attention of geologists, who are favorably 

 situated for observmg this phenomenon, will be excited 

 to the subject. 



ART. XV.— AN EXAMINATION OF THE "CATALOGUE OF 

 THE MARINE AND FRESH WATER FISHES OF MASSA- 

 CHUSETTS, bj J. V, C. Smith, M. D.," contained in Professor 

 Hitchcock's " Report on tlie Geology, Mineralogy, &c. of Mas- 

 sachusetts." By D. Hdmphkbvs Storer, M, D. Read March 16, 



1836. 



X 



Engaged the last season in arranging the icthyological 

 cabinet of this Society, I was compelled unavoidably, to 



of Marine and Fresh Water 



examine 



"A Catalogue 



Fishes of Massachusetts," contained in Professor Hitch- 

 cock's Report, Some well-known fishes I found omit- 

 ted — several were incorrectly named — and many includ- 

 ed, which I think further investigation will show should 



