Ö 
Engels ANA, I rt, ZZ ” 
DeAR SIR; 
Havixe been engaged for several yeärs in the preparation of a Natlral History of the Fishes of the Thnited Sites; 
1 wish, before beginning the printing of my work, to collect as extensive materials as possible, respecting the geogräphicall 
distribution; of, these animals. It.has occurred to.me that by means, of a eireular containing direetions for colleeting fishes I 
mwight.obtain'the information required: lıshould,; indeed,ilike to secure separate colleetions of our fishes from eyery stream, 
river, 'ereek, lake, and pond in’the whole eountry, and am'satisfied‘that‘such'colleetions would furnish invaluable FREU 
tion respecting the geographical distribution of our fresh’water' animals.  "The’same prineiple has already been’ applied'in 
colleeting the marine fishes from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico, the’shores of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, and parts 
of North Carolina exeepted, from which: I have obtained comparatively little. In extending this plah to our fresh waters, 
I: hope to obtain: equally valuable results, and ‚would thank you ‚for; any assistance and contribution you ‚can. furnish, from 
yoür 'quarter of theeountry. ol PAORIR like to'include the erawfic shesland fresh- water shells in this investigation. Hol 
| | Lo AGASSIZ, 31 10 
/ | Professor of Zoülogy and adorp in tie © 
InOo |  lyiyr all „„bawrence Scientific School, at, „u.' 
: „ (AMBRIDGE; Mass. 
DIRECTIONS "FOR 'COLLEUTING FISHES. | | 
The present condition of our science requires collections made in a very different spirit from thöse Satheredii in former 
years. _ T'he naturalist must not only know all the different kinds inhabiting our waters, he must also become acquainted 
with the changes they undergo while growing, and with their geographical range in different wätercourses. To arrive at this 
knowledge, it is necessary to obtain, Ka complete collections from every distinet water-basin, to seleet a number’of 
specimens’of.every kind, if possible so as to include the young, as well as the adults, males and females.* "The number 
and diversity of species found in our waters is much greater than is usually supposed by accidental observers. "A variety 
of little fishes, sometimes belonging even to different families, are almost everywhere used for bait by fishermen,, and frei 
quently mistaken under one common name, Minnows, er supposed to be simply the young of larger kinds.'" Among these! 
most valuable discoveries may be made. There are still distriets in our country where a naturalist may fish halffa "ddzen 
new species and more of these small nondescripts, in a single ereek, within a few hours. "Again,'scores of fishös ‘are in- 
diseriminately called Bass, Sunfishes, Suckers, &c., in different parts of the country, which,"when compäred side by’ side; 
prove as different from one another : as arobin And a crow. Ikis, therefore, a matter of great importance’ for the naturalist 
to get every species of fishes from every water-basin, that he may have an opportunity of ascertaining for hiingelf how far 
they agree, and how far they differ, in different watercourses. Anglers and professional fishermen generly Knöwthe 
fishes of their own fishing- -grounds much better than naturalists, and from them most valuable information "may be obtained 
respeeting the species inhabiting their neiehborhood. There is, on that account; no difieulty ın hsceHaining ‘from them 
whether a complete collection of all the fishes of any given locality has been obtained. Büt the dificulty begins whenitiis 
attempted to identify the fishes of distant places, relying upon their names for comparison. "Such is the cönfusion of’ these 
names, In different seetions of the country, arising from the use of the same names for ' different‘ objects, and of different 
names for the same objects, that nothing. short of complete collections obtained separately from every important kocality’ will 
prevent the naturalist from making gross mistakes in his identification .of species from remote loealities. Few mennot 
trained in the study of _N atural History are prepared to believe that even the fishes living i in the head-wäters of a river- may 
differ entirely, from those living in its lower course, and that it may therefore be necessary to make 'separäte collections'in 
different parts, of one and the same water-bäsin, This is 'still more I, ki respecting distinct water ana ee a 
complete survey ought to cover the whole ground as soon as possible, | 
The preservation of fishes requires but little care and attention. Any vessel, jar, can oe or barrel, fit to holdlaleohöl} 
is also fit for collecting, fishes, which may be heaped up in it like herrin gs in salt. The Alopho) used must be of about the 
.»*,T’here-ateimany species of, ‚OUT, eg in which the seges differ sufliciently to be recdenized by their external appearancek. 
en It has actually happened to me last winter, at Mobile, Ala., and at St. Louis, Mo,, to. discoyer‘ six x and even Sishk new Aa or in a en Bde." 
5 6 7 8 9 10 MIıSSOURI 
i BOTANICAL 
copyright reserved GARrDEN 
