( 117 ) 

 SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 



LiNKEAN Society of London. 



February 3, 1887.— William Cakruthers, F.R.S., President, in the 

 chair. 



Dr. Michael C. Grabham (Oporto) and Capt. Wingate (Cashmere) were 

 elected Fellows of the Society. 



Mr. W. Simpson exhibited a series of sketches of the Afghan Boundary, 

 as illustrative of the region traversed by the Delimitation Commission. 



An important paper on the Fauna and Flora of the Afghan Boundary, 

 by Brigade-Surgeon J. E. T. Aitchison, CLE., was read and discussed. 

 Among the speakers who took part in the discussion were Sir J. D. Hooker, 

 Dr. Giinther, Mr. G. A. Boulenger, Dr. P. L. Sclater, Mr. W. T. Blanford, 

 Mr. 0. Thomas, Sir J. Fayrer, Mr. K. Bowdler Sharpe, Mr. Howard 

 Saunders, Mr. C. 0. Waterhouse, and others. The following is the author's 

 summary of the zoological collections: — Nineteen species of mammals, 

 belonging to fifteen genera, were collected, and other species belonging to 

 three genera were seen. Perhaps the most interesting, as being the least 

 known, was Ellobius fuscicapillus, the type of which was originally obtained 

 many years ago near Quetta. The geographical range of the Tiger, Felis 

 tigris, was now ascertained to include the district round Bala-Morchab, 

 and that of the Cheetah, Felis jubata, as far as the valley of the Hari-rud ; 

 while the Egyptian Fox, Vtdpes famelica, was obtained as far north and 

 east as Kushk-rud, and Kin in the basin of the Harut river. As regards 

 birds, 123 species belonging to some eighty-four genera were collected, 

 while fourteen other species were identified, though not preserved. Two 

 new species only were procured, viz. a Fhea.sant, Phasianus 2}rincipalis, 

 and a Woodpecker, Gecinus Gorii. The birds in Afghanistan are chiefly 

 migratory, with the exception of the above new Pheasant, the Raven, Rook, 

 Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Sparrow, Starling, Sky Lark, Crested Lark, 

 Bokhara Lark, Melanocori/pha bimaculata, Wall Creeper, Tichodroma 

 muraria, Bittern, Botaurus stall aris, several Raptores, Sand Grouse, Pterocles 

 arenarius, and Red-legged Partridge, Caccabis chukar. As spring advances 

 birds are seen to arrive, following each other rapidly, such as Aedon fami- 

 liaris, and various species of Sylvia, Saxicola, Lanius, MotaciUa, Pastor, 

 Merops, and Coracias. Various ducks then leave the country, but the Brah- 

 miny Duck or Ruddy Sheldrake, Casarca rutila, remains throughout the 

 year and breeds there. The greater number of the species met with belong 

 to tlie genera Saxicola (8), Lanius (6), Sylvia (5 1, MotaciUa (a ), and Emberiza 

 (4). Of Reptilia thirty-five species were collected — a Tortoise and twenty- 

 one species of Lizards, of which three are new ; of Ophidians thirteen 

 species, one of which is new ; also adult examples of I\aia oxiana, which 



