Preface 



I think that I may claim for them a correctness that, while 

 combining the impressions of both, could never have been 

 obtained by either the brush or camera unaided. My thanks 

 are also due to Professor George A. Boulenger, who, with Mr. 

 Aflalo, identified as far as possible the subjects of my photo- 

 graphs. 



There are but one or two really successful photographers 

 of living fish under water, and these artists must obviously 

 confine their efforts to comparatively small fish in the confine- 

 ment of aquarium tanks. Now, a considerable observation of 

 fish at home and abroad under every variety of conditions has 

 persuaded me (though I hardly expect the statement to pass 

 unchallenged) that the narrow confines of the aquarium tank 

 tend to cramped and unnatural attitudes in the subjects ; and 

 this contention seems to me abundantly substantiated by a 

 careful comparison of the otherwise excellent photographs 

 from time to time published, and the best studies of the best 

 fish painters. My own system of illustration combines the 

 two, and in great measure, I venture to think, obviates many 

 of the faults of both. Constant observation of the fish in their 

 natural habitat impresses on me their every attitude, and, 

 while unfortunately not possessed of the necessary talent to 

 transfer these groups to canvas, there is no insuperable 

 difficulty in the way of pegging the various subjects in just 

 the positions they assumed before my eyes an hour or two 

 earlier. The camera does the rest. 



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