50-4 Bihh'ograjyJn'cal Notice. 



illustrations of a general work on the fishes of the South Seas» 

 which was to include all the species then known. Dr. Giinther 

 undertook to prepare this work on the undcrstaudiug that he 

 should be at libert)' to make a first selection from all collections sent 

 to Hamburg for the completion of the series in the British Museum. 

 It was arranged that this monograph, whilst forming an integral 

 portion of the Jouz'nal, should have certain parts exclusively devoted 

 to it, with a consecutive pagination of its own. 



Seven parts of the ' Fische der Siid-See ' (pp. 1-260), illustrated 

 with 160 plates, had appeared, when, in 1881, owing to financial 

 difficulties, the Godeffroy Museum, and with it the Journal, (.eased 

 to exist. 



More than twenty-five years elapsed before the energetic publisher 

 Dr. L. Friederichsen, of Hamburg, succeeded in finding the means 

 for the continuance and completion of the ' Fische der Siid-See ' 

 through the munificence of the Trustees of the " Dr. Wilhelm Martin 

 von Godeffroy Familien-Fidei-Commiss Stiftung." It is a fortunate 

 circumstance that the author of the earlier parts has been able to 

 undertake the completion of a work to the preparation of which he 

 had devoted much time and labour. It would either have been left 

 unfinished or have been continued by another hand, with the in- 

 evitable consequence of lack of uniformity of treatment. Besides, 

 the British Museum was clearly the place most appropriate to the 

 work, containing as it does the most complete collection of South- 

 Sea fish, many obtained by Garrett and others of the Godeffroy 

 staff, as well as a large number of types from the Indian Ocean 

 which, on account of their close affinity to species of the Pacific 

 fauna, are necessary for critical comparative examination. 



The new part consists of 128 pages of letterpress, illustrated by 

 several text-figures, and 20 plates, executed partly by Werner and 

 Winter, partly by Green. It deals with the Labridaj, Anacanthini, 

 and Malacopterygii-Pharyngognathi and Abdomiuales. Over 200 

 species are described, but only eight are added to those previously 

 named, the author taking binominal species in a wider sense than 

 some ichthyologists of the present time. And in this he seems to 

 be particularly justified in a family like the Labridae, in which the 

 coloration varies in an extraordinary degree with age and season, 

 sex and locality. It is to be regretted that the author was unable 

 to make more considerable additions to our knowledge of life- 

 histories ; but in this respect we could only expect information of 

 value from scientific observers residing for a considerable period in 

 the islands. Garrett seems to have been satisfied with endeavouring 

 to acquaint us with the wonderful brilliance and play of colour of 

 the fish of the Pacific Coral-reefs ; eighteen out of twenty plates 

 have been reproduced from his pictures. 



We hope that the Author will be able to carry out his intention 

 of issuing another part within the coming year, which will then 

 conclude this magnificent monograph. 



