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A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ZOOLOGY OF NEW 



CALEDONIA. 



By J. Douglas Ogilby. 



"On sait que les eaux douces de la Nouvelle-Caledonie renferinent 



diverses especes de Poissons, mais ils iie paraisseiit pas avoir ^te studies 



iusq'ici." 



Crosse, Jouin. Conch. Vol. xlii. (1894), p. 446. 



The paragraph here reproduced gives the sum total of the 

 information at present procurable about the fishes of this island, 

 and it was in order to partially remedy this neglect that I took 

 advantage of the decision of my friend and colleague Mr. Charles 

 Hedley — on whose unvarying kindness and readiness to forwai'd 

 scientific work of any description I need not here dilate — to 

 spend a short holiday in New Caledonia, to request him to pro- 

 cure for me any fishes which he might find time to collect, 

 especially impressing upon him the interest which would attach 

 to the fresh-water forms. Mr. Hedley spent about a month on 

 the island, and though, owing to the meagre time at his disposal 

 he was unable to pay any attention to the marine fish fauna, he 

 nevertheless found time to spare from his own especial pursuits to 

 make a collection from fresh-water streams, which is all the more 

 valuable because of the care which has so evidently been taken in 

 its preservation, and which has enabled him to place it in my 

 hands in an absolutely perfect condition. The collection numbers 

 no less than seventy-two specimens, representing six species and 

 as many genera, reference to which will be made below. 



A few words as to the position, history, and general features of 

 the island may not be out of place here : — 



New Caledonia is situated in the western portion of the South 

 Pacific Ocean, roughly speaking between the parallels of 20'^ to 



