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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