PREFACE. 



In the work on Britisli Fislies now presented to tlie 

 public^ it lias been the endeavour of the Author to give such 

 a representation of each of the species which has at any time 

 been met with in the British Islands^ either as straggHng 

 visitors or more permanent residents, as shall render it easy 

 to be recognised by any one; as also to assign it its 

 proper place in a scientific arrangement; and of these recorded 

 in our volumes it is to be observed that there are several 

 which are now for the first time noticed as havino^ been 

 obtained in Britain. 



A coloured likeness is for the most part necessary for this 

 purpose; and those which are now presented to the notice of 

 the reader, with very few exceptions, that are particularly 

 pointed out, possess the advantage of having been derived 

 from examples that had been but newly drawn from their 

 native element, with their native colours fresh upon them; 

 while those species which from their rarity could not be 

 procured under such circumstances, are produced in such a 

 manner as not to be disguised by imaginary adorning. The 

 descriptions also have been carefully attended to, and with 

 the plates will leave little to be desired in illustration of this 

 portion of the subject. 



