571 



PROGRESS OF THE MAMMAL SURVEY. 



As was announced in the last ntimber of the Joxirnal, three of the 

 Society's Collectors have left the Survey and gone home to the 

 War. The remaining Collector, Mr, C. A. Crump, alone carries on 

 the work of the Survey and is at present collecting in Sikkim, 

 where he had just gone when the last report was written. He has 

 been working round Gangtok but reported Mammal life to be scarce 

 there, though he was able to secure good series of voles and mouse 

 hares. After collecting round Gangtok he worked north to Chun- 

 tang on the Lachen road finding animals much more plentiful and, 

 which is most encouraging, he is securing help from the natives. 

 Between the 10th and 13th December, over 40 specimens of some 

 16 kinds were collected or brought in. The Sikkim collection will 

 be of very great importance and help in determining, along with 

 that from Kumaon, the numerous species described by Brian Hodg- 

 son, many of which are only known by the old and faded types in 

 the British Museum. 



We would appeal to members all over the country to assist in 

 keeping the Survey going till the War is over and we can, if possible, 

 get our other collectors back. Much valuable work can be done by 

 sending in specimens from districts already collected in, which were 

 not recorded in the report dealing with that district and a list of 

 which can be sent to anyone. Also by sending in any skins 

 (measured in the case of animals up the size of a hare) with skulls 

 from districts hot yet worked. From certain districts topotypes {i.e., 

 specimens collected in the locality where the original type or speci- 

 men from which the first description was taken, came from) are very 

 much wanted and a full list of these can be had fi'om the Honorary 

 Secretary. The following may be mentioned as examples of some 

 of the topotypes wanted : — Indian Wolf and Indian Fox from the 

 Deccan, the Sind Hare from Sukkur, the Desert Fox from Rajputana 

 and Salt Range, Jungle Cat from Mussoorie, the Common Mongoose 

 from Kashmir, Leopard Cat from Lower Bengal, Phayre's Leaf 

 Monkey from Arrakan, Horsfield's Fljdng Squirrels from Rangoon. 



For some time the Common Indian Hare has been much wanted 

 from Lower Bengal to enable many of the hares, obtained in the 

 various collections to be properly worked out. Our Collector, 

 Mr. Crump, when in Calcutta in the rains made a short excursion to 

 obtain specimens but was unsuccessful and as he had to go to Sikkim 

 was unable to try again. Now, however, through the kindness of 

 Mr. Laird-MacGregor we have received a specimen of the common 

 hare fi-om near Calcutta, where the specimen from which the original 

 description was made came from. With the help of this specimen 

 various common hares obtained by the Survey will be able to be 

 properly worked out. A series of specimens from Lower Bengal 

 is still however much to be desired. 



