120 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
from the limited knowledge we possess, it rather resembles the 
form inhabiting North-East Africa than the Guzerat animal. 
Major St. John’s notes upon this species are extremely interesting, 
and the narrative of his adventure with a lioness is of far more 
thrilling interest than half the stories put together with which 
we are familiar. Indeed of late nothing less than four or five 
lions bolting from cover altogether at a “hot corner,” and 
being rolled over (on paper) like rabbits, will suit the modern 
appetites for large bags, and it is refreshing to meet with a lioness 
that could look an Englishman in the face without dying on the 
spot. 
This district produced a new species of Woodpecker (Picus 
Sancti-Johannis), closely allied to the European P. medius, and 
two new Titmice—one Purus pheonolus, allied to P. aler, but 
distinguishable by its olive-brown back; the other P. persicus, 
a pale-coloured form of P. ceruleus. 
Of the fauna of Mesopotamia Mr. Blanford’s regard for accuracy 
precludes him from saying much, as available information on the 
subject proved very scanty, but his remarks on the Zoology of 
the shores of the Persian Gulf and Balichistan are of great 
interest, as he has personally explored this region, the fauna of 
which differs widely from that of the rest of Persia. The 
Palearctic forms are now almost entirely replaced on the high- 
lands by desert species of the Indian fauna, and in a few cases 
by Malayan types, whilst several others are African, and are 
either unknown in India or at most do not extend beyond Sind 
and the neighbouring districts east of the Indus, all of these last 
being desert types. 
Space will not permit us to pick out the new and interesting 
species which he has described, nor would it be fair to the author 
to do so. Many of the mammals and birds are illustrated by 
beautiful coloured plates by Keulemans, as well as by woodcuts 
and by lithographic engravings of the reptiles by Ford, and an 
excellent coloured map is given of the geographical provinces. 
On the whole the volume is an indispensable one to naturalists, 
and is in’every way worthy of Mr. Blanford’s high reputation. 
