i8 9 i.] 
357 
[Garman 
of Provincetown and Captain Nathaniel Blanchard of Lynn 
are often cited as authorities for statement of facts, and I 
have never yet been able to learn of a single instance in which 
their testimony has proved other than absolutely trust- 
worthy. 
The history of the fishes of Massachusetts is a classic in North 
American Ichthyology that must serve as a basis for the future 
histories of the New England fishes. In the quarter of a century 
that has passed since its publication we have changed our ideals 
of names, and discoveries of new genera or species, or in the 
anatomy, have compelled changes in our systems. The nomen- 
clature of the book has become somewhat antiquated, and the 
systematic arrangement is not entirely suited to the present time, 
yet we must sav the same of all the contemporaneous ichthyological 
literature, and it will not be long before a similar characterization 
will be equally applicable to the works of to-day. But it matters 
comparatively little to this book how much the names are 
changed, how radically the classification is modified, the fishes 
are described here, the illustrations are here, the facts are here, 
and these give the work a permanent value. It would be diffi- 
cult to point out a work of greater accuracy in detail, or one that 
left less doubt in regard to the identity of the different forms to 
which attention is directed. 
Dr. Storer was not led astray by desire for novelty ; he used 
little of his energy in searching for generalizations ; he appears 
rather to have given himself up to the careful preparation of a 
good record of what he could gather during years of collection 
and study. Most will admit that in this his judgment was good. 
For, though it sometimes happens that science is benefited and 
fame is brought to an author by a revolutionary change in classi- 
fication, or through a brilliant generalization or theory, the result 
most often is only an evanescent notoriet} T that soon dies away. 
It is through the patient elaboration of facts and success in 
recording them that one is most certain of contributing to the 
advancement of science. In this way Dr. Storer has made a con- 
tribution to ichthyology of lasting importance. In the amount 
of information given, with its accuracy and style of presentation, 
he has established. his claim to present and future gratitude and 
has proved his right to rank amongst the foremost of American 
ichthyologists. 
