H. C. EFFLATOUN. 



and as a resvilt the inhabitants, both Egyptian and non-Egyiitian, 

 hâve very littlc knowledgc of the native fauna and in conséquence 

 practically no interest in it. In this respect it is well to recall that 

 when the Egyptian School of Medicine was fornied at Abou Zabel 

 in the rcign of Mohamed Ali, spécial attention was paid to the 

 formation of a Natural History Muséum, as the importance of 

 this branch of éducation was fully recognised by its illustrious 

 founder (1). It is sad to haveto record the failure of this pioneer 

 effort to build up a muséum, as the very fine collections that were 

 got togethcr by a number of cnthusiastic naturalists hâve either 

 been dispersed or disappeared. 



The majority of the collections made in Egypt, however, bave 

 been taken back to Europe and are scattcred throughout the varions 

 public and private nuiseums of England, France, Dcnmark, Ger- 

 many, etc., and with the exception of entoniology, the only représen- 

 tative private collection in this country is that of Dr. Walter Innés 

 Bey. Moreover the literature on the subject is equallv scattered 

 and it is extremely difficult to obtain information al)out most groups 

 of Egyptian animais. 



With the idea of placing the Zoology of the Nile Valley on 

 a more satisfactory basis the late Dr. J. Anderson commenced bis 

 great work on the Zoology of Egypt and tbrough bis efforts the 

 four well known volumes were published by the Egyptian Govern- 

 ment, dealing respect ively, with the mammals, reptiles and batra- 

 chians, and fishes. It is to be regretted that bis death interrupted 

 the continuation of this work, which niight bave formed the basis 

 of a comprehensive work on the Zoology of Egypt comj^arablc with 

 the "Fauna of Rritish India." 



In ordci- to liclp iii the developiiKMil nf a fidler knowledge of 

 the fauna of this coiiiilrv it is honcd t(i piiblish a séries of mono- 

 graphs each dealing with some particular group of animais. In 

 this way ail information concerning the native fauna will gradually 

 be coUected in a form casily accessible to scient ific workcrs and 

 others interested in the Egyptian Fauna. 



The présent volume by H. C. Efflatoun, represcnts the (irst 

 part of a monograph on Egvptian Diptera which it is intended to 

 issue by installments, each dealing with one or more familles. 

 When complète the work will contain descriptions and plates 

 illustrating ail known Egyptian species. The advantages possesscd 

 by a résident naturalist are well exemplificd in the présent volume, 

 for in one family, Efflatoun is able to record the présence of ten 



(1,1 Vide ClotBev, (1840), .Aperçu Générale sur l'Egypte. Paris. Fortin Masson & Cie. 



