History of the Black Bass. 19 



significant bearing on the proper nomenclature of the 

 species. I noticed that most American authors, in referring 

 to Lacepede's description of Ldbrus salmoides, gave the 

 reference as 



"Laeepede, Hist. Nat. des Poiss. Vol. in, p. 716, 1800?", 

 and that of Micropterus dolomieu as 



"Lac6p6de, Hist. Nat. des Poiss. Vol. iv, p. 325, 1800?"; 

 thus, of course, giving the priority of description to Lahrun 

 salmoides, as we then understood and accepted it. 



On the other hand, I noticed that Cuvier and Valen- 

 ciennes* gave the reference to Micropterus dolomieu in 

 Lacepede's work as 



" Vol. IV, p. 325." 

 and that of Ldbrus salmoides in the same work, as 



"Vol. IV, pp. 716, 717." 



I noticed further that all references to the figure of 

 Lacepede's Micropterus dolomieu were given as 



" Vol. vf, pi. 3, fig. 3," 

 and that of Lairus salmoides as 



"Vol. IV, pi. 5, fig. 2." 

 I was at once struck with this discrepancy, for if Cuvier 

 and Valenciennes' reference of Ldbrus salmoides Laeepede 

 (Vol. IV, p. 716, 717) was correct, it would give the pri- 

 ority of description to Micropterus dolomieu Laeepede 

 (Vol. IV, p. 335). The numerical sequence of the plates 

 also gave it priority. 



While revising this chapter of the first edition of this 

 book for the press, I learned from Dr. Jordan that he had 

 just received from France, a copy of Lacepede's original 

 edition of his great work. I at once wrote to him to ascer- 



* Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. Vol. in, p. 55, 1829, and 

 Vol. V, p. V, 1830. 



