)3 ] 



III. The Zoology of the Afghan Delimitation Commission. By J. E. T. Aitchison, 3I.I>., 

 C.I.E., F.li.S., F.L.S., Naturalist attached to the Mission, and Secretary tu the 

 Surgeon-General, Her Majesty's Forces, Bengal. 



(Plates VI.-XIV. and two Maps.) 



Read 3rd February, 1887. 



Introduction B}- J. E. T. Arrcnisox. 



Mammals By Oldfield Tiioitas, F.Z.S. 



Birds By E. Bcwdlek Sharpe, F.L.S., F.Z.S. 



Keptiles By G. A. Boulexgee, F.Z.S. 



Fishes By Albert (jijnther, M.D., F.ll.S. 



Aracbnida, Chilopoda, and Crustacea . . By R. I. Focock. 



Coleoptera and Diptera By C. 0. WiXERnousE. 



Hymenoptera and Orthoptera By W. F. Kirbt. 



GaU Insects By G. B. Bucicrox, F.R.S., F.L.S. 



Introduction, 



If the zoological collections which I have made do not answer the expectations of all, 

 the difficulties which I have had to encounter in my work must be taken into considera- 

 tion. On being appointed to the Mission, I was called upon to undertake the general 

 duties of a naturalist, in addition to my more special calling of botanist. Previously to 

 this I had never collected zoological specimens, and, owing to the veiy short notice of 

 departure given to me, I failed in obtaining collectors, the Afghans, in tliis respect, being 

 useless. Griffith remarked, fifty years ago, " Afghans will not collect ; " and I can vouch 

 for it they are still unchanged. Luckily for the undertaking, Mr. Wood Mason, of the 

 Calcutta Museum, sent me two native taxidermists, who although useless as collectors, 

 were invaluable in the honest way they worked as taxidermists and, in addition, arranged, 

 laBellcd, packed, and sorted my various impedimenta, so as to allow of my having more 

 time to devote to zoology. 



I am greatly indebted to Lieut. Ptawlins and Capt. C. E. Yatc, both of whom lil)crally 

 supplied me with birds whenever they had the opportunity, and. I must here thank 

 various members of the Mission who assisted me by procuring specimens, and who may 

 not have been personally named elsewhere in this paper. 



My collections comprise 290 species belonging to 210 genera, of which 32 species have 

 been described as new. 



Of Mammals I collected 16 species belonging to 13 genera, in addition to which 7 other 

 species, belonging to 7 genera, were seen, of which I was unable to obtain specimens. 

 The most interesting, as being the least known of these, as I learn from Mr. Thomas, 



SECOND SERIES. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. V. 10 



