

PREFACE 



During 1916-1917 the First Asiatic Expedition of the 

 American Museum of Natural History carried on zoological 

 explorations along the frontiers of Tibet and Burma in the 

 little known province of Yiin-nan, China. The narrative of 

 that expedition has already been given to the public in the first 

 book of this series "Camps and Trails in China." It was al- 

 ways the intention of the American Museum to continue the 

 Asiatic investigations, and my presence in China on other work 

 in 1918 gave the desired opportunity at the conclusion of the 

 war. 



Having made extensive collections along the southeast- 

 ern edge of the great central Asian plateau, it was especially 

 desirable to obtain a representation of the fauna from the 

 northeastern part in preparation for the great expedition 

 which, I am glad to say, is now in course of preparation, and 

 which will conduct work in various other branches of science. 

 Consequently, my wife and I spent one of the most delightful 

 years of our lives in Mongolia and North China on the Second 

 Asiatic Expedition of the American Museum of Natural His- 

 tory. 



The present book is the narrative of our work and travels. 

 As in "Camps and Trails" I have written it entirely from the 

 sportsman's standpoint and have purposely avoided scientific 

 details which would prove uninteresting or wearisome to the 

 general public. Full reports of the expedition's results will 

 appear in due course in the Museum's scientific publications 

 and to them I would refer those readers who wish further de- 

 tails of the Mongolian fauna. 



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