A Monograph of Egyptian Diptcra. 



Introductory Note 



by 



Edward Hindle, 



Professor of Biology, School of Medicine, Cairo. 



The study of the Egyptian fauna has long attracted the atten- 

 tion of zoologists in most European countries as evidenced by the 

 number of expeditions, both private and otherwise, for the pur- 

 pose of studying the animals occurring in the Nile Valley. The re- 

 sults of these expeditions, however, give a very inadequate idea 

 of all except a few isolated groups of animals, as it is impossible 

 for a visitor to a country to obtain anything like the same insight 

 into its natural history, as that obtained by resident observers. The 

 number and occurrence of animals varies, not only with each season, 

 but also in different years, and apart from this a visitor does not 

 possess the same degree of intercourse with the natives and other 

 advantages possessed by the occupants of the country. 



Until comparatively recently the fauna of Egypt has rarely 

 been studied by any resident naturalists and therefore it is not 

 surprising that our knowledge of most groups of animals, and 

 especially invertebrates, is still very incomplete. 



An additional cause for the lack of information is the absence 

 of any continuity in the studies of the fauna, and in particular the 

 absence of an adequate Natural History Museum for the reception 

 of specimens. Through the untiring efforts of Major S. S. Flower, 

 Director of the Zoological Survey of Egypt, a start has been made 

 in this direction, but the building provided is inadequate for the 

 reception of even the vertebrate fauna of Egypt. In addition the 

 Entomological Section of the Ministry of Agriculture, under the 

 direction of Dr. L. Gough, has formed the nucleus of a collection 

 of the insects of the country, and the Sultanic Agricultural Society 

 a collection of those of economic importance. 



Apart from these three institutions, no recent attempt has been 

 made to remedy this defect in the intellectual development of Egypt 



