No. 112.] 19 



FISHES. 



ORDER II. ABDOMINAL. 



FAMILY XXIII. SAURID^. 



Lepisosteus bison, Dekay. Buffalo Bony-Pike. Four specimens. 



Dekay's New-York Fauna, Part IV, pa. 271, pi. 43, f. 139. 



These specimens were taken in Chaumont bay, at the east end of Lake 

 Ontario, Jefferson county, N. Y., in the spring of 1855. The largest 

 specimen is forty -six inches in length. There is no perceptible differ- 

 ence, externally, between the males and females. Gebhard. 



SYNONYMS. 



jBsox osseusj Bony-scaled Pike. Mitch. 



Lepisosteus osseus, Bony Bike. Lacepede. 



Lepisosteus oxyurus. Rafinesque. 



Lepisosteus longirostris. Cuvier. 



Le-pisosteus kuronensis, Northern Mailed-fish. Rich. 



Lepidosteus osseus, Bony Pike. .Agassiz. 



The following is a translation of the note of Professor Agassiz, 

 in his great work "Poissons Fossiles," vol. 2, part ii, pa. 1, on 

 the etymology of Lacepede's name "Lepisosteus;" and giving 

 the reason for changing it to " Lepidosteus." 



" The etymology of this compound name ought to have led LaCePede 

 to write it " Lepidosteus," in conformity with the Grreek mode of declin- 

 ing. I have corrected this little mistake of this elegant French writer, 

 without however intending to ascribe to myself the discovery and establish- 

 ment of this genus, as has been charged upon me. I make the observation 

 on purpose to show that I am consistent in the application of my principles 

 of nomenclature." 



