INTRODUCTION. 



In continuation of the preceding volume of this series, in 

 which, besides other groups, were treated the Siluroidea, 

 as first suborder of the Order Ostariophysi, the present or 

 third volume of the "Indo-australian fishes" contains the remai- 

 ning suborder of the Ostariophysi'. the Cyprinoidea and the 

 Order Apodes, to which is added the Order Synbranchi. 



We refer to the introduction of that preceding volume for 

 the geographical limits of the faunistical region, wherefrom 

 the fishes are here described. 



In the quoted introduction we have also made some remarks 

 about the material in general at our disposal. The following 

 may be added for the present volume. 



A great part of it, as far as it contains the descriptions of 

 the Cyprinoidea, is devoted to fishes living in the fresh water 

 of streams, brooks, ponds and lakes from the western part of 

 the Indo-australian Archipelago, especially from Sumatra, 

 Borneo, Java and neighbouring Islands, reaching eastwards not 

 farther than Borneo and Sumbawa. 



The Synbranchi and some of the Apodes have a wider 

 distribution in the fresh water of the Archipelago. 



The remaining Apodes are inhabitants of the coral reefs, of 

 the sandy and muddy literal region, of the brackish water of 

 aestuaries, of the bottom of deeper water, a few even of the 

 true deep sea. Many live below stones, below blocks of coral 

 or find shelter in crevices of rocks or coral reefs, some burrow 

 in sand or mud, while others are met with in surface water. 



For the study of the fishes treated in this volume we could 

 dispose of the various collections named in the introduction 

 to the second volume of this series. Since then we received 

 valuable material from Dr. L. PH. DE BUSSY from Deli, from 

 Mr. EDWARD JACOBSON from West-Sumatra (Padangsche Boven- 

 and Beneden-Landen), from Mr. P. BUITENDIJK from the Java 

 Sea, from Mr. G. HERMAN from Sabang, Pulu Weh. 



