THE AFGHAN DELIMITATION COMMISSION. 55 



able to engage collectors. These only appeared in small nnmbcrs of the same species 

 here and there when there was perfect stillness in tlie air. This stillness occurs 

 so infrequently and at such irregular intervals that it would have required the entire 

 devotion of one's time to collecting these insects alone. AVhen the wind rose they Avere 

 driven about like so many leaves, and seemed Avith difficulty to gain shelter. I never, 

 to my knowledge, saw a perfect specimen, all were battered (one may say) to pieces, 

 their wings becoming deeply irregularly fringed from continuous fractures and injuries. 



Thanks to the courtesy and assistance of Professor Flower, the Director of the Natural 

 History Museum, and to the kindness of Dr. Gilnther, I was enabled to exliibit the 

 collections at the Natural History Museum, South Kensington. 



I am indebted to the several officers of that Museum who have identified and described 

 for me the species of which each has made a special study, namely : — 



The Mammals, Mr. Thomas ; the Birds, Mr. Sliarpe ; the Reptiles, Mr. Boulenger ; 

 the Fishes, Dr. Giinther ; the Insects, Mr. Kirby and Mr. Waterhouse; and the Spiders 

 and Crustacea, Mr. Pocock. To Mr. G. B. Buckton, F.Pv.S., I am obliged for his 

 description of a gall-insect. 



I alone am responsible for the localities with the references and remarks enclosed 

 within brackets and iuitialed J. E. T. A. 



MAMMALS. 



By Oldfield Thomas, F.Z.S., 

 Assistant in the Zoological Department, British Museum. 



[Since the following notes on the Mammals of Afghanistan, brought homo by Dr. Aitehison, were written, I have 

 received a paper by Dr. J. Scully " On the ilaramals and Birds coUcoted by Captain C. E. Yate, C.S.T.. of tho Afghan 

 Boundary Commission " (J. A. S. B. Ivi. pt. ii. p. GS, 18S7), and therefore practically a paper on un almost precisely 

 similar set of Mammals to those here described. Thirteen species are there referred to, two being new ; of these. 

 one (SjiermophUus bactrianus) is not represented in Dr. Aitchison's collection, while tho other (7i7/o6!«s intermedins) 

 is evidently the same as my No. 11. — 0. T.] 



1. FeLIS TIGRIS, L. 



a. Skin and skull. Karaol-kbana. 



This Tiger has the rich coloration of Bengal specimens, and shows no approximation 

 to the greyer and longer-haired type found further north. 



[Blanford, Eastern Persia, ii. p. 34. 

 Afghans call the Tiger Buber ; Turkomans Yulbars. 



Durincr the march of the Afsrhan Delimitation Commission from India to Kliusan, 

 the question whether we were ever likely to meet with a Tiger was often discussed, 



10* 



