658 Indian Cyprinidce. [August, 



new countries a lively sense of the interest that attaches to its most 

 minute details, will not, we may be assured, be taken amiss. Inform- 

 ation however carefully collected on such occasions as those referred to, 

 becomes comparatively useless when unaccompanied with specimens 

 of the things to which it relates. We should ever recollect that the 

 easiest and best way to promote our own fame, and contribute at 

 the same time to the advancement of natural history, is by making 

 collections, nor are we without examples of the highest awards having 

 been, though somewhat prematurely, conceded to collectors. Never- 

 theless, to render collections of the highest degree of real value in the 

 present advanced state of science, those who make them should gather 

 at the same time as much information as possible regarding the circum- 

 stances under which the various objects comprised in them live, or 

 occur ; and it is in this that the intelligence of the naturalist may 

 be best and most profitably displayed during his journies in new coun- 

 tries. 



" The following tabular view of the distribution of Cyprinidce, though 

 avowedly imperfect, will serve to show how the leading groups are 

 generally dispersed. Cirrhins, for instance, appear to be peculiar to 

 India, or at least to the tropical parts of Asia, and the Catastoms 

 to America ; while both are represented in Europe by the true Carps. 

 From the number of Gangetic species, the Barbels like the Cirrhins 

 would seem to have their metropolis in India, from whence the genus 

 is extended over the Caspian Sea, and the Nile into Europe. 



" The Gonorhynchs would also seem, as a group, to be natives of the 

 East, one species only having been found in South Africa, none in 

 Europe, and eleven in India. 



" The greater part of the Sarcoborince are probably also Eastern 

 fishes, with the exception of the Breams and Lenciscs, although some 

 of the European forms set down under the latter genera may be found 

 to belong either to the Perilamps or Opsarions. 



" The small sub-genera of Pcecilia appear to be equally distributed in 

 all parts of the world, one having been already found in Africa, two 

 species in India, where a few more may be expected, seven species 

 in America, and seven in Europe ; but in every case the species of 

 one continent have been found to be distinct from those of another. 



"The Loaches (Cobitis prop. Lin.) afford another instance of the 

 concentration of numerous species in India, while three only are found 

 in Europe, and none whatever in America. The annexed table exhibits 

 the general distribution of the family. 





