TF. T. Blanford, CLE., F.E.S. 5 



Foi* some years previously W. T. Blanford had paid rauch attention 

 to certain branches of zoology, especially to mammals, birds, reptiles, 

 and land mollusca, and, besides making notes on the geology, he 

 collected lai'gely in Abyssinia. On his return to India in October, 

 1868, he was engaged in working out the collections made till April, 

 when he came to England for six months on service, and wrote 

 the " Observations on the Geology and Zoology of Abyssinia " 

 (published by Macmillan & Co. in 1870). Returning to India in 

 November, he was engaged in surveying the country near Chanda, 

 south of Nagpur, until March, 1870, when he was directed to 

 march with his camp to Korba, 250 miles to the north-west, and 

 examine a coal locality. Later on he marched some 250 miles 

 further to Hazaribagh, whence he returned to Calcutta. August, 

 September, and October, 1870 were spent on leave in Sikhim, chiefly 

 in a journey with Captain Elwes to the Tibetan frontier north, 

 of the great peaks. Notes on the geology and zoology observed 

 were published in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 



The working season of 1870-1 was again spent in the Godavari 

 Valley, and a preliminary survey was carried into the Madras 

 Presidency near Ellore. During part of the time W. T. Blanford 

 was engaged in selecting sites for borings in coal-bearing strata 

 and in superintending the work which occupied him in the field 

 till June, when he returned to Calcutta. This was the last season's 

 work in Peninsular India. In the course of nine years he had traversed 

 the whole peninsula on foot or on horseback, with the exception of 

 some 20 or 30 miles, from the Arabian Sea near Surat to the Bay of 

 Bengal at Coconada. 



It was arranged that in 1871-2 the survey of Sind should be 

 undertaken, and Mr. Blanford had already gone to Karachi to 

 commence work, when he was ordered to join the Persian Boundary 

 Commission imder Major St. John, R.E. (afterwards Sir Oliver 

 St. John), to map the frontier between Baluchistan and Persia, 

 and later on to join Sir F. Goldsmid. After a preliminary 

 voyage in the telegraph steamer to Basra at the head of the Persian 

 Gulf and back, in the course of which some important geological 

 observations were recorded and large zoological collections made, 

 Mr. Blanford came back to Gwadar, about 300 miles west of 

 Karachi, and thence marched with Major St. John through Jalk, 

 Bampur, and Karman to Shiraz, travelling alone from Shiraz through 

 Isfahan to Teheran. The journey occupied seven months, from 

 January to August. Major St. John's party was only a portion of 

 the Persian Boundary Commission. The principal expedition, under 

 Sir F. Goldsmid, had met the Afghan section, under Sir Richard 

 Pollock, in Sistan, and had travelled to Teheran, where Major 

 St. John and Mr. Blanford joined them. A short time was spent 

 in the Elburz Mountains, and Mr. Blanford then marched to Enzeli 

 on the Caspian, and thence, after travelling by steamer and rail, vid 

 Astrakan, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Berlin, he arrived in England 

 September 19th, 1872. His health having been somewhat impaired 

 by exposure, he remained for two years in England on leave. 



