Vi INTRODUCTION. 
It may be interesting to state more particularly from what localities the new 
species principally come, and what proportion they bear to the enéire number 
brought from each of those localities. Thus from Brazil about half are considered 
new ;—from Patagonia at least half ;—from Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands, 
and the Galapagos Archipelago, all are new, without exception; and nearly all 
from Chiloe, and the coasts of Chile and Peru. Of the species brought from 
Tahiti, New Holland, and the Indian Ocean, not above one-fourth are new. This 
might have been anticipated from the better knowledge which we have of the 
Ichthyology of that quarter of the globe, than of South America. 
It is much to be regretted that the portion of the collection which has been 
lost to science, was obtained in localities most abounding in novelties, judging 
from that portion of it which has been saved. Thus, not above five or Six species 
will be found noticed in the following work, from Tierra del Fuego, where Mr. 
Darwin took especial pains to collect all he could, and, judging from his manu- 
script catalogue, he must probably have obtained between thirty and forty. 
From the Falkland Islands again, there have been only saved two out of fifteen 
or sixteen,—from the coasts of Chile and Peru, not half the entire number 
obtained, and not above half from the coasts of Patagonia. 
There is also described not above half the species brought from King 
George's Sound, and the Keeling Islands; but as the Indian and Australian 
species, or at least the former, have been more frequently brought to Europe than 
the South American, they are less to be regretted than these last. 
It is fortunate that the whole of the species obtained by Mr. Darwin in the 
Galapagos Archipelago, amounting to fifteen, have been preserved, and are 
described in the following pages. 
It may now be useful to mention, to what groups principally —first, the entire 
number of described species belong, and, secondly, that portion of them which 
are considered new. Both these points will be best judged of from the following 
table, in which the whole collection is parcelled out according to the families. 
ACANTHOPTERYGII. 
Percip®. Entire No. of species 18 whereof new 11 Brought up : : . 45 22 
MULLID& ee SCOMBRID® 5 7 3 
TRIGLIDE oe} 1 TEUTHYDIDE 2 
Corrip® 5 2 ATHERINID © ‘ : : Ay 2 
ScoRP NID oe: 2, Mueinipe . , ‘ a ano 
ScienipE . 5 1G) 5 BLENNID® 5 Ly 7 
SPARID E at} 1 GoBID 3 2 
Menip& 31RD Lasrip& 7 5 
CHETODONTIDE .« ee Lopuip® 1 
45 22 ToTaL : d , . 82 Tora, New 41 
