THAT part of the 'Fauna of British India' which relates to Fishes is completed by the publication of the present volume. Unhappily the author of the work has not lived to see it appear; the illness that, in the Introduction to the first volume, was noticed as having prevented his correcting the proofs, terminated fatally almost on the day when that volume was issued.

Indian naturalists will not soon forget the great additions made by Dr. Francis Day to our knowledge of Indian fishes, and they will assuredly join the Editor of the present series in deploring the loss of one who, by the researches of a life- time, by his numerous published works, and by admirable figures, has rendered such signal service to Indian Zoology.

The Editor has found it necessary in this second volume and in part of the first, for the sake of saving space, to make some slight excisions in the text, and to recast in many cases the synopses of genera and species. As the author was unable to revise the proofs, it is hoped that some allowance will be made should any defects have crept in and passed unnoticed.

An explanation of the abbreviations used and of some ofthe technical terms has been given at the commencement ofthe first volume.

The remaining parts of the Fauna of British India," dealing with other classes of Vertebrata, are well advanced towards completion, and it is hoped that a volume of Birds by Mr. E. W. Oates will be published before the close of the year.