PREFACE. 



Tue object of this Catalogue is to give a description of all 

 the species of Lophobranchous Fishes in the Collection of 

 the British Museum, with an indication of their history 

 and origin, and an account of the species to be found in 

 other Collections which are desiderata to the National 

 Museum. 



Dr. Kaup observes that, " If my work has any value, it 

 is chiefly owing to the liberality and great kindness of Pro- 

 fessor Dumeril, Director Temminck, Dr. Heckel, Dr. Riip- 

 pell, Professor Lichtenstein, and Dr. Krauss, who most 

 kindly transmitted all the specimens of this Order from the 

 French, Leyden, Vienna, Frankfort, Berlin, and Stuttgardt 

 Museums, that I might compare them with the specimens 

 in the British Museum, which has given me the means of 

 comparing more than 2000 specimens of these fishes to- 

 gether, an advantage which no other Ichthyologist has 

 hitherto enjoyed. From these sources I have been able to 

 determine and describe ninety-five species, and to indicate 

 one which appears to be distinct from any which has come 

 under my examination. Of these ninety-five, fifty-three 

 are to be found in two or more of the above-named collec- 

 tions ; and of the other species, nineteen are peculiar to the 



