PREFACE 



The present work is the result of a study of the fishes of the 

 waters of the state of New Jersey. Its scope will then include 

 a fair representative fish-fauna of the Atlantic seaboard of the 

 Virginian fauna. All marine as well as fresh-water species are 

 included, and the fact that the waiter here records some which 

 have never been positively known from New Jersey waters before, 

 shows that our knowledge is not yet complete. A number of 

 records have been given from time to time of rare or more 

 unusual species. These of course are in need of verification, 

 and are admitted on their face value purely for the sake of 

 completeness. Fortunately, however, in a number of such cases 

 I have been able to examine the original material and thus place 

 beyond question the identifications. 



In the classification of the higher groups I have followed the 

 views of Dr. David Starr Jordan. The descriptions of the 

 familes, together with much of the information in the keys, are 

 compiled from Dr. Jordan's various contributions to ichthyology, 

 especially in collaboration with Dr. Charles H. Gilbert, Dr. 

 Barton A\'. Evermann, Prof. J. O. Snyder, Mv. Edwin C. Starks 

 and myself. These have been modified to suit my own purposes, 

 and it is belieA^ed are, on the whole, as nearly accurate as our 

 present knowled§-e will permit. In the case of genera which are 

 only listed, I have followed some precedents already ennunciated. 

 Throughout keys are given which are believed to be natural. 

 The description of each species has been based on a New Jersey 

 example and was drafted directly from the particular specimen. 

 It is believed that this course is better than a more hurried com- 

 pilation of averages in measurements, etc., as the amount of time 

 consumed in this report would not permit of more. However, it 

 is hoped that the writer will be allowed to carry on more ex- 



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