210 
“THE BIRDS OF MESOPOTAMIA.” 
BY 
Craup B. Troexurst, M.A., M.B.O.U., late Captain, R.A.M.C. 
Assisted by 
P. A. Buxton, M.A., M.B.0,U., late Captain, R.A.M.C. 
and 
Masor R, BE, Cuoreesman, M.B.0.U., 5th Buffs. 
(With two plates.) 
PREFACE, 
During the late war a number of officers who were more or less 
interested in Ornithology found themselves in Mesopotamia, and thanks 
to the help and stimulus given by the Bombay Natural History So- 
ciety, and especially by their Curator, Capt. N. B. Kinnear, consider- 
able collections and observations were made, while Sir Percy Cox, 
the High Commissioner, gave great help in many ways. 
It has been the aim of the Society to get together all the information 
available from the various members of the Force, and the collections 
they made, in order that as comprehensive a paper as possible on the 
Avifauna of Mesopotamia could be written for the use of present and 
future British residents in that country, and the Society has asked me 
to undertake the task of working out the collections and putting to- 
gether this account, which I have had much pleasure m doiag,—ably 
assisted by Major Cheesman and Capt. Buxton, without whese help 
this paper could not have been written. 
The chief collections were formed by (1) Maj. Cheesman and Sir 
Percy Cox, (2) Capt. Pitman, (3) Capt. Buxton, while Major Ross, Lt.- 
Col. Bailey, Maj. Logan Home, Capt. Aldworth, Capt. Harrison, 
Capt. Armstrong, the writer and others contributed smaller numbers. 
The first two collections have been presented to the Bombay Natural 
History Society. Accompanying these collections were a number of 
observations and field notes, while others contributed also notes of 
varying amount and value. The list of contributors is as follows :— 
Capt. T. P. Aldworth, D.8.0., 3rd Maj. Logan Home. 
W. Kent. 
Capt. J. Armstrong, R.A.M.C. Capt. F. Ludlow. 
Capt. R. Bignell. Lt. A. St. G. Macdonald. 
