20 ACCOUNTS, ESTIMATES, &C. OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



The Crocodilus Siamensis, known to, and specified by Cuvier, from a skull in the Paris 

 Museum, is now represented in the British Museum by a perfect example, as are also the- 

 new species, Crocodilus pondicerianus, Jacare longiscutata, and J. ocellata. A represen- 

 tative of a new gen\is (Chloruscartes) of lizard iuis been obtained from the Feejee Islands. 

 Two remarkable forms of innocuous snakes, Cercoca/amus and Brachyurop/iis, have been 

 obtained from Central America; and from Africa a genus of v\per {Puecilostolus), living 

 on trees, which was discovered by Captain Burton in the Cameroon district. In the 

 order Batrachia the Museum has acquired from Australia representatives of the genera 

 PlalyplecLrum and Cryptotis, and several new species of LimnodynasLes. 



Of the additions to the class of Fishes, 1,911 in number, during the past year, a few only 

 are dried skins ; the rest being entire animals, preserved in spirits. Dr. Giinther has 

 determined and described more than 150 new species ; 128 examples of fishes have been 

 added to the British Collection, a part of which were new to it, whilst the other species, 

 now well exemplified, had been insufficiently represented by dried skins or deteriorated 

 specimens. 



Other valuable collections have been received from Lapland and Sweden, through a 

 collector, Mr. Wheelwright; those specimens illustrate the differences between allied species 

 occurring on the Continent as well as on the British Islands. 



G. Y. Johnson, Esq., has continued to collect in the seas of Madeira ; his collections 

 are distinguished not only by the^ beautiful state of preservation of the specimens, but also 

 by the discovery of several entirely new and highly interesting Ibrms {Setarches, . 

 Nesiarchus, &c.). 



From the Mediterranean several collections have been received through Dr. Gulia of 

 Malta, and Dr. Th. Giinther, besides some smaller additions. 



Asia. — The fresh water fishes of the Holy Land are still desiderata in the National 

 Collection. 



An important collection of Tropical Asiatic fishes has been obtained from Dr. P. van 

 Bleeker, containing typical specimens of the new species of Pharyngognathes and Anacan- 

 thines described by that ichthyologist in his forthcoming work on the ichthyology of the 

 East Indian Archipelago. 



A second collection, made by one of the members of the Prussian expedition to Siam 

 and Japan, and acquired by the Museum, is not inferior to the former ; almost all the 

 rare foims described in the " Fauna Japonica," such as Histiopterus, Velifer, Monocentris, 

 Sec, and especially all the Chondropterygian fishes, are represented in it. 



The last collection made by the lamented M. Mouhot in the interior of Siam contained 

 several new forms, e.g., Cutopra, &c. 



Her Majesty's Consul at Formosa, R. Swinhoe, Esq., has commenced to collect and to 

 send to the Museum the fishes of that island. 



Africa. — The assistance of John Petherick, Esq., Her Majesty's Consul at Khartoum, , 

 has been secured for procuring a complete series of the Fishes of the Nile, important not 

 only for the naturahst, but also for the archseologist. The last collection sent by that 

 gentleman to this country has been carefully examined, and every serviceable specimen was 

 procured at a moderate price, so that the British Museum now possesses the finest collec- 

 tion of the fishes of that river. 



The Clarotes, hitherto known from a single deformed example in the possession of 

 Professor Hyrtl, of Vienna, is represented by specimens of all ages. 



Several small collections of fresh water fishes have been received from the western coasts ; 

 nearly all the species contained in them are either entirely new, or but little known ; some 

 of the new species are extremely interesting, for instance, Mormyrus Petersii, with the lower 

 lip produced into a long cone. 



Australia. — Mr. G. KrefFt, acting curator of the South Australian Museum at Sydney, 

 has adopted the plan of having his specimens named in accordance with those preserved in- 

 European collections. For that purpose he transmits his duplicates at regular intervals to- 

 the British Museum, and, all the specimens being numbered, he receives the names in 

 return ; those specimens are of special particular value, inasmuch as the locality of each 

 specimen has been noted. Kare species, as, e.g., Atypichthys, Parma, Lahrichthy$,\\a\e- 

 been received through this source, 



America. — The fishes which have been received from the North American continent during ■ 

 the last year have couie from the west coast. 



A series of the viviparous fishes Ditrematidcc or Holconoti, in the most perfect state of 

 preservation, has been obtained by the naturalist accompanying the British North American^ 

 Boundary Commission ; several undescribed species of Salmonidce from ihe rivers from the 

 western slope of the rocky mountains are in the same collection. 



Dr. Ayres, of San Francisco, has commenced to send typical specimens of the species 

 described by him ; among them is a new form, Parophrys Ayresii. 



A splendid collection of the freshwater fishes of Guatemala and Vera Paz has been sent 

 by Messrs. Godman and Salvin ; 16 new species of Chromides have been already described, 

 including representatives of two new genera, Theraps and Petenia. 



In the foregoing observations on the additions of 1862 to the class of Fishes, it will be 

 seen in how many parts of the world there are intelligent collectors, with a desire to 

 co-operate with the Museum authorities in advancing Ichthyology. These remarks are also 



designed. 



