INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 
The fishes of western North America are as yet too little known, and the amount of new 
materials for further investigations too great, also, to warrant anything like an attempt on the 
present occasion to establish a natural series. After treating of the various groups in a series 
of monographs, as already begun by us,* we shall be better prepared to do justice to that part 
of our subject. 
YVe have spoken at some length upon two groups—the Cataphracti, or mailed cheeks, and the 
Embiotocoids, or viviparous family, both of them having numerous representatives along the 
Pacific coast. They constitute the most predominant feature of the iclithyic fauna of that region 
of the North American continent, together with the Trachinids and the ITeterolepids, which 
seem to bring into closer relationships the Percoids and the Cottoids, properly so called. The 
true Percoids, themselves, appear isolated west of the Rocky Mountain range. 
The Sphyraenid family is represented by one species of the genus Splnyraena. 
The Sciaenoids, so far as observed, are few in numbers, and remind us of the Atlantic types. 
Not a single species of Sparoid has as yet come to our knowledge from the coast of Oregon 
and California. 
As to the Atherinoid family, we find in California a rather large species designated by the 
settlers under the name of “smelt,” probably on account of its delicacy, and which is, truly 
speaking, an ally of the “silver-side” or “silver-fish” of our Atlantic coast, and “ pesce del 
Rey” and “ pescadilla del Rey” of Central and South America. The “silver-fish” being of a 
diminutive size, even when fully grown, its esculent qualities have remained unnoticed by either 
fishermen or gastronomers. The “pesce del Rey” tells its own story. 
The scarcity of Scomheroids is a curous feature in the fauna of our western coast: a Mackerel, 
(Scomber), a Bonito ( Pelamys ), and two Caranx , constitute so far the entire known list. But 
we venture to say that further researches will bring to light many more of them. 
The only species of Chetodonts we are acquainted with from the western coast was obtained 
in the southern part of the State of California. 
The Blennioids appear to be more numerous than the preceding ones, new generic types 
having been found ( Neoclinus, Xiphidion, Apodichthys, Cebidiclitliys, and Anarrichthys) along 
with species of known genera ( Blennius, Gunnellus, Lumpenus). 
The Gtobioids, properly so called, are comparatively scarce, two species of the genus Gobius 
constituting the entire known list. 
The Cyclopterids, or Discoboli, are represented by two species also, one of which is a 
Lepadogaster, the other a Cyclogaster. 
The Batrachoid or toad-fish family has given one species to the fauna, and which we have 
erected into a new genus. 
The Labroids, properly so called, are anything hut numerous, if the Embiotocoids are 
considered as a separate family. We think, however, that many more will be found hereafter, 
especially along the southern coast of California. 
a See “ Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge,” vol. Ill, 1852. 
