INTRODUCTION 



geologic boundaries coincide with the natural one, 

 excepting only th^t part extending from Kalgan 

 to Shan-hai-kuan. Here the faunistic and floral 

 boundaries undoubtedly lie far more to the north, 

 coinciding rather with the political boundary. 



In the present volume the term " Sino-Mon- 

 golian Frontier " indicates not so much the political 

 boundary as here set forth, but rather the bound- 

 ary marked out by Shih Huang-ti when he built 

 the Great Wall, which as already stated defines 

 to a great extent the natural boundary. 



The subject of this book is a series of explora- 

 tions, carried out by the author accompanied in 

 each case by at least one other European, through 

 districts, which, lying in close proximity to the 

 Great Wall, may be included in the title as already 

 defined. 



The work carried out on these explorations was 

 in the nature of scientific and geographical re- 

 search, including the collection of biological speci- 

 mens, the making of geological notes, the carrying 

 out of compass traverses, and the general investi- 

 gation into the lives, customs and conditions of 

 the natives. 



These explorations were as follows : — 



1. A journey through North Shensi, the Ordos 



Desert and Western Shansi, by Malcolm 



P. Anderson and the author in connexion 



with the Duke of Bedford's Exploration 



ix 



