The. fishes obtained Ma the United States” 
Hs aes Expedition, 1838 to 1842 under the command 
‘Captain Charles Wilkes. 
By 
Gash W. ‘Fowler, 
be the Academy of acura: Sciences of Philedelphia 
a the” hited, Atta ep one” aiuiéum'" 
Tntodueti on. 
ne te 
‘Seldom has a cakiectton of fishes, of such extent 
8S Liat gathered by the United States Bxploring Expedition, 
reposed in seclusion for so long a time without attracting 
the attention of some investigator. Over eight decades have 
now passed since most of these fishes were gathered together, 
As the majority appear to have passed down to our time in « 
fair condition of er Ee in aicohol, it is’ quite evic- 
ent! that they have received A necessary attention. A small 
number were without date and some labels had been mixed, 
put many of these we heve been able to rectify through data 
gleaned. from the origins} drawings and sketches alone with 
the field number's . While various contributions to Ichthyology, 
some of them quite 1 begs adele ie repions traversed by the Ex- — 
pedi tion; heave appeared in one form or another, no one appears 
to have. considered it worth while to look over and compare 
| these old specimens and work out their determinations. Upon 
‘ Nyy) (the. recommendation of Mr. Bean, in charge of the Division of 
Fishes, U. S,Nationel Museum, our request that the material 
