PBEFACE. 
Vll 
I have collected all the Synonyms by which the 
various species have been from time to time described 
by different authors, together with such vernacular 
Indian names as I have been able to extract from 
various writers, or have myself become acquainted 
with, into an Index. By this means I have avoided 
the necessity of loading the descriptions of species 
with a crowd of names. 
The illustrations have been taken from fresh, or 
living, specimens. I should have liked to have in- 
troduced many more plates, only that it would 
have added very considerably to the cost of pub- 
lication. 
I have the satisfaction of seeing, in the papers of 
the last English Mail, that the subject of the Geo- 
graphical Distribution of Species, alluded to in Chap- 
ter III., has attracted attention at the recent meeting 
of the British Association. As remarked in Chapter 
I. the strictly fresh-water fishes afford a valuable 
guide towards the elucidation of many interesting 
problems connected with this subject. 
It was not till after the manuscript of this Hand- 
book had been sent to London for publication, that I 
became aware that Dr. Day was bringing out a very 
elaborate work on Indian Marine and Freshwater 
fishes. 
Had I known this sooner, I would have avoided the 
possible imputation of wishing to put myself in com- 
