1897.] A Chapter in the History of Science. 845 
inasmuch as there are nearly three times as many reptiles as 
batrachians.” His last elaborate memoirs dealt with special 
anatomical features of the serpents and lizards, which he ex- 
amined with the view of perfecting the system of those groups. 
IV. 
In 1864 Cope” became especially interested in the fresh-water 
- fishes of the United States, and then as well as in succeeding 
years published enumerations and descriptions of many spe- 
cies. His first papers in 1864 and 1865 were “Ona blind 
Silurid from Pennsylvania” and a “ Partial catalogue of the 
cold-blooded Vertebrata of Michigan ;” in 1868 he published 
“On the distribution of fresh-water fishes in the Allegheny 
region of southwestern Virginia,” and in 1869 appeared a 
“Synopsis of the Cyprinide of Pennsylvania.” In addition 
to these, various minor papers were published, and in some of 
them marine forms were considered. 
When in Europe he had purchased a large collection of 
skeletons of fishes from all parts of the world prepared by Pro- 
fessor Joseph Hyrtl, of Vienna, one of the most skillful practi- 
cal anatomists of the day. He had a number of other skele- 
tons made te represent missing types. With these as a basis 
he proceeded to recast the classification of fishes. The first 
contribution to the subject was embodied in an introductory 
chapter of his “Contribution to the Ichthyology of the Lesser 
Antilles,” published early in 1871. 
The same chapter, with the same title, “ Observations on the 
Systematic Relations of Fishes,” but with some modifications 
and additions, was later published in the Proceedings of the 
American Association for the Advancement of Science for 1871. 
his was a notable paper and replete with original observa- 
tions of value. It was not, however, up to the standard of 
his work on amphibians and reptiles. The subject, indeed, 
was too vast and only a superficial examination was made of 
19 Cope’s monograph of the reptiles will not include the tortoises, those having 
kanea left to Dr. G. Baur to monograph. 
A short unentitled communication (before alluded to) was — as early 
as 1863. 
