8 Preface. 



decidedly disappointing. Mammals were exceedingly 

 scarce in the district, and consequently our collection 

 was very small. Mr. de Winton, who worked out the 

 collection, has very kindly provided me with a list of 

 the species represented, and as the list has not appeared 

 elsewhere, I have printed it here. Notwithstanding the 

 small number of species found, three of them a bat, 

 a hare and a mouse proved to be unknown, a fact which 

 clearly demonstrates how meagre is our knowledge of 

 the small mammals of Egypt. Much of our ignorance 

 in this respect will undoubtedly be dispelled by the 

 publication of the second volume of The Fauna of Egypt 

 by the late Dr. Anderson. This volume will deal with 

 the small mammals, and will be completed shortly by 

 Mr. de Winton. 



The journey was made during the driest months of 

 a very dry year in the Soudan, and although such a 

 season brought many disadvantages, it was in one sense 

 a favourable time, because hot dry countries are, as a 

 rule, visited during the cooler months, when the vege- 

 tation completely changes the scenery and when the 

 human and animal populations exist under altogether 

 different circumstances from those noticed by us. 



With the help of many kind friends, both at Cairo 

 and at Omdurman, I was able to make all preparations 



