PREFACE. Vll 



I have collected all the Synonyms by which the 

 varioiis species have been from time to time described 

 by different authors, together with such vernacular 

 Indian names as I have been able to extract from 

 various writers, or have myself become acquainted 

 with, into an Index. By this means I have avoided 

 the necessity of loading the descriptions of species 

 with a crowd of names. 



The illustrations have been taken from fresh, or 

 living, specimens. I should have liked to have in- 

 troduced many more plates, only that it would 

 have added very considerably to the cost of pub- 

 lication. 



* 



I have the satisfaction of seeing, in the papers of 

 the last English Mail, that the subject of the Geo- 

 graphical Distribution of Species, alluded to in Chap- 

 ter III., has attracted attention at the recent meeting 

 of the British Association. As remarked in Chapter 

 I. the strictly fresh-water fishes afford a valuable 

 guide towards the elucidation of many interesting 

 problems connected with this subject. 



It was not till after the manuscript of this Hand- 

 book had been sent to London for publication, that I 

 became aware that Dr. Day was bringing out a very 

 elaborate work on Indian Marine and Freshwater 

 fishes. 



Had I known this sooner, I would have avoided the 

 possible imputation of wishing to put myself in com- 



