e en eee Ba Pg 
1876.] White Egrets at Trenton, New Jersey. 473 
dred and fifteen species of fishes known as inhabiting the Ohio 
and its tributaries, twenty-nine genera and thirty-seven species 
were first described by him, and the eliminating of seasonal and 
sexual forms from the rank of species, and the identifying of 
more of his genera on a better acquaintance with the fishes of © 
the Ohio, will constantly make the ratio greater. 
I have not been actuated in the writing of this sketch wholly 
by a desire to see justice done. Professor Agassiz —and I quote 
him so often because he spoke so well before me in this matter — 
said, Both in Europe and in America he has anticipated most 
of his contemporaries in the discovery of new genera and species 
in those. departments of science he cultivated most perseveringly, 
and it is but justice to restore them to him whenever it can be 
done.” 
But if we hold our duty lightly in regard to our treatment of 
these old naturalists, we are driven by our necessities to attempt 
the establishment of the oldest names that were accompanied by 
à recognizable description, for the nomenclature of our animals 
as become a matter so fearfully intricate that it has retarded in 
no slight degree the advancement of science, by repelling those 
naturally fitted for the work. 
aceon 
THE OCCURRENCE OF WHITE EGRETS AT TRENTON, 
NEW JERSEY. 
BY CHARLES C. ABBOTT, M. D. i 
(2 Monday, August 2d, 1875, it commenced raining early in 
the morning and continued day after day, with the exception 
of one day, until Friday, the 20th. The wind varied only from 
Southeast to south. About ten and one tenth inches of rain fell, 
and in consequence the meadows bordering on the Delaware River 
Were overflowed to a depth varying from two to six feet. 
On the 14th of August a flock of thirty snowy herons ( Gar- 
zetta candidissima) made their appearance, keeping much to- 
gether, avoiding the clumps of tall trees, and at times associating 
very familiarly with a flock of domestic geese. Occasionally the 
Sreat blue herons (Ardea herodias) were seen in scanty numbers, 
either alone or associated with the white herons, and every day 
- there were numbers of the small blue herons (Florida coerulea), 
; nt these excited no comment from those familiar with the local- 
sa as they are quite abundant every year, as are also the night 
eron (Nyctiardea gardeni), the bittern ( Botaurus lentiginosus), 
