A. C. L. G. Giin'lier. 



xvii 



which are on the right side in one half of the specimens and on the left in 

 the other. The vast literature in such a family as the Salmonidae absorbed 

 as much patience and time in the investigation of a single species as in other 

 fishes for that of a whole family. The small family of the Umbridse, however,- 

 gave Dr. Gtinther some compensation, since of its two species one occurred, 

 in Central Europe, the other in North America, the close affinity of the two 

 being recognised by him for the first time, and constituting " one of the most 

 striking instances against the geographical continuity of identical forms." 

 In the Preface to his eighth volume many valuable observations were made, 

 some of which are widely applicable. Thus, in defining a species, he considered 

 it to be well established only when it is founded, on characters which, from 

 an examination of numerous examples, are found to be permanent, not subject 

 to gradual variation, and not dependent on season, sex, or age, or which are 

 known to be so from the examination of allied forms. An idea of the- 

 extensive and laborious nature of Dr. Giinther's task is gained by his state- 

 ment that 6843 species of fishes in his Catalogue are well established and 

 described, whilst 1682 others are doubtful. " Assuming that about one-half 

 of the latter will ultimately be admitted, and that since the publication of 

 this work 1000 species have been described elsewhere, toe may put the total 

 number of fishes known at present as about 9000." At the date of publication 

 of the last volume, he calculated there were 29,275 examples of fishes in the 

 British Museum, a vast array, largely due to his own initiative, and to his 

 personal influence, yet he modestly states that it contains not two-thirds of 

 the known species, and instances the gaps yet present, even in such well 

 known forms as the herrings, the sharks, and the rays. He therefore urged 

 the necessity of keeping pace with the rapid progress in ichthyology resulting 

 from the efforts in other countries ; adding that no other class of vertebrates 

 offers a similar gradation of development of the most important systems and 

 organs, rendering its systematic arrangement a most difficult problem. His 

 further remarks as to the importance of fishes in elucidating the geographical 

 distribution of animals and the relations of the various epochs to one another 

 doubtless proved an invaluable aid in determining the importance of such an 

 Expedition as that of the " Challenger." He modestly concludes this epoch- 

 making labour by stating that, " if it should assist my fellow-labourers and 

 enlist others — if it should contribute to the advancement of truth, I shall not- 

 repent having devoted the best years of my life to its execution." 



Early in his career, Dr. Giinther kept in touch with the Museum Godeffroy 

 at Hamburg ; indeed, in 1868, he was instrumental in enriching some private 

 collections of invertebrates through this agency, for the staff of the ships 

 employed by the firm of merchants specially collected every group. 

 Dr. Giinther undertook the Monograph on the South Sea Fishes, thereby 

 making a noteworthy addition to his famous works both in text and illus- 

 tration, since the artist, Andrew Garrett, had lived in the Pacific Islands and 

 made drawings from life of all the fishes which fell in his way, just as the 

 late Colonel Drummond-Hay, of Seggieden, did with those off the Bermudas, 



