PREFACE. 



Dr. GtJNTHEE observes, " Tliis volume concludes the Catalogue of 

 Fishes. Most of the Collections whence the specimens therein de- 

 scribed have been obtained are mentioned in the preceding volumes, 

 so that T have to refer to the following only : — 



" 1. Typical specimens of East- Indian Muraenoids, Lophobranchs, 

 Plectognaths, and Plagiostomes described by Dr. Bleeker. 



" 2. Several collections from the Seychelle Islands made by 

 Lieut.-Col. Playfair, Swinburne Ward, Esq., and Prof. E. Perceval 

 Wright, 



" 3. Several collections made at St. Helena by J. C. Melliss, Esq. 



" 4. Several collections of freshwater and marine species from 

 Algiers, made by Lieut.-Col. Playfair, H.M. Consul-General at 

 Algiers. 



" 5. Typical specimens of the Sharks from the coast of Portugal, 

 described and presented by Dr. B. du Bocage, Director of the Lisbon 

 Museum. 



" 6. A Collection of Marine Fishes from Tasmania. Pur- 

 chased. 



" 7. Several desiderata, presented by Prof. Kolliker. 



" At the conclusion of this work I think it right to add a few 

 remarks on the extent of our ichthyological knowledge generally, 

 and on the present state of the Collection in the British Museum 

 especially. 



" It is of some interest to learn how many species of Fishes are 



