The present article contains an introductory notes on Lake Biwa with some notes on the fishes, a brief history of the study on the fishes of this lake, from 1806 to the most recent (1951), and a complete list of the fishes of Lake Biwa (45 species and subspecies found in the lake itself, in addition to two species found near this lake and 13 introduced species) with their distribution records in Japan and the neighbouring couneries.
The mark × indicates simply the occur ence of the species or forms found in the region named at the top of the column and the mark _??_, that the same is known to be found as an introduced species in the region.
Next I have given the names of localities around or near Lake Biwa with the names of collected fishes in old and new records.
Lastly, in my conclusion concerning the distribution of these fresh water fishes found in this lake, I have noted two endemic forms: Gnathopogon elongatus caerulescens and Chaenogobius annularis isaza; 19 species are confined to the Japanese waters, and most of the remaining ones (about 30) are common to the Asiatic Continent in their distribution.
