Preface. IX 



biography. For instance titles as „Nalezingen op de ichthyo- 

 logische Fauna van het eiland Banka". or „Douzieme notice 

 sur la faune ichthyologique de I'lle de Ternatc" do not tell 

 us anything about the contents of these papers. 



When the first undersigned contemplated the publishing of 

 a work on the fishes of the indo-australian Archipelago these 

 difficulties became more pronounced, and induced to the 

 composition of this „ Index". 



It is needless to give an account of the reasons which led 

 to the projects for the above-named faunistical work: sufficient 

 to state that the first undersigned mapped out elaborate 

 plans, to which Prof. M. Treub, then head of the Department 

 of Agriculture of Dutch East India, gave his full consent. 

 The first undersigned is anxious to have this mentioned, as 

 well as the fact that the recommendation of these plans to 

 the colonial and home government was the last official act 

 of his never to be forgotten friend, since then alas ! deceased. 

 The world of science is conscious of what thanks are due to 

 this great botanist and splendid organizator and it is now 

 nearly a year since her voice was heard in all the civilized 

 nations lamenting his loss. Zoologists too knew how to appre- 

 ciate him, for Treub ever had a keen eye to the growth and 

 development of every branch of science, which he proved 

 again by being very much interested in this projected work. 



From the beginning Dr. J. C. Koningsberger, Prof. Treub's 

 successor as Director of 's Lands Plantentuin at Buitenzorg, 

 has shown the same interest and it is with his help that this 

 first volume of the fish fauna of the indo-australian Archi- 

 pelago is published. The Colonial Department granted a sum 

 for the publication, for which we express our gratitude to the 

 Minister of the Colonies. 



Here may follow some remarks on the way in which this 

 Index was prepared. It was only by very carefully excerpting 

 Bleeker's papers that it was possible to indicate the exact 

 places where certain genera and species are mentioned. To 

 lessen this immense labour we excluded the „Atlas ichthyo- 



