11 PREFACE. 



on the subject was fully recognized, but it was also seen tliat our knowledge of tlie 

 Ichthyology of that part of the world was exceedingly imperfect. Under these circumstances 

 I was oifered the post of Inspector- General of Fisheries, with power, when not required to 

 be present at the seat of Government, to travel about the country and collect information on 

 subjects connected with the Department. 



My time was spent in these pursuits from January, 1871, to early in 1874, during which 

 period I visited every large river in India, and nearly the entire coast from Gwadur in 

 Beloochistan to Mergui in Tenasserim. This enabled me to form a private collection of many 

 thousand specimens taken from various parts of India, and, I believe, fairly representing the 

 Ichthyology of the lakes and rivers and of the Indian Ocean. The present work contains descrip- 

 tions of 1340 species, 1185 of which are in my own collection: I have also personally examined 

 111 additional Indian species in other Museums, some of which I have figured: the remaining 

 44 forms are described from the writings of others, as I have not yet seen examples 

 of them. It is from these matei-ials that I have endeavoured to meet the wishes of 

 Government that I should prepare a woi-k on "The Fishes of India."* 



It must not, however, be supposed from what I have just stated, that T have any wish 

 to ignore the merits of those Ichthyologists who have preceded me in the treatment of this 

 subject. Science is deeply indebted to those gentlemen, most of whom I will endeavour to 

 specify by name and to add a few words respecting the labours of each. 



The first writer on Indian Fishes I propose adverting to is Block, whose splendid work on 

 " Auslandische Fische" was published in 1785. It, his " Ichthyologie," and the continuation 

 of this latter by Schneider in 1801, contain many Indian marine forms. To these must be 

 added Lacep'ede's " Histoire des Poissons," 1798-18G3. No small impetus was given to the 

 practice of fish-collecting in India by the publication of these treatises, which fully deserve to 

 receive a large share of praise and respect. 



Br. Russell, Naturalist to the Madras Government, was the author of the " Fishes of 

 Vizagapatam," wherein 200 forms are delineated and described. The work was published in 

 two volumes folio by the Court of Directors of the Hon. East India Company in 1803. 



J)r. Francis Buchanan^ (who subsequently took the name of Hamilton) was born at Branziet, in 

 Stirlingshire, February 15th, 1762. Having completed his education and obtained his diploma at 

 Glasgow, he subsequently studied at Ediuburgh, receiving his degree in 1783. He entered the Navy, 

 but had to leave on account of ill-health. In 1794 he was appointed an Assistant Surgeon in the 

 Hon. East India Company's service on the Bengal establishment, and soon after his arrival iu Calcutta 

 he was sent with Capt. Symes on his mission to Ava, and employed his leisure in collecting specimens 

 of Natural History, nut only in Burma but subsequently at the Andaman Islands. He forwarded his 

 collections and drawings to the Hon. Court of Directors, who presented them to Sir Joseph Banks. 

 Eeturning to India he was stationed for two years at Luckipoor, near the mouth of the Brahmaputra, 

 when the fishes of that locality attracted his attention. In 1798 he was sent to examine the district of 

 Chittagong, and the country in the vicinity : here he largely augmented his botanical collections, which 



* The parts of this work have been published as follows :— Part I, August 1875, to end of page 168, with 40 plates 

 and 130 figures: Part H, August 18"6, to end of page 368, with 41 plates and 148 figures: Part III, August 1877, to end 

 of page 552, with 65 plates and 305 figures, while Part IV contains 61 plates with 343 figures. The number of plates are 198, 

 the last being CXCV, but li a, lib, lie, are also inserted. The figures in 42 plates were personally delineated. The Government 

 copies, and those only, have " End of Vol. I " printed at p. 320, and contain a separate Index for that portion . 



t Chambers's " Lives of Scotchmen," i, p. 393. 



