1872.] ' 211 



Notice of the Mammals and Birds inhabiting Kachh, — 

 by De. F. Stoliczka. 



[Received 28th May, read 3rd July, 1872.] 



The study of local faunas must, for some time at least, continue one of 

 the most important means of leading to a full understanding of Indian 

 Zoology. India combines such an enormous variety of physical conditions? 

 namely, differences in level, climate and vegetation, all of which have to be 

 studied in connection with the animal life, that one is almost lost in the 

 chaos of information required, and is very apt to overlook conditions, which 

 may be essential for the explanation not only of peculiarities as regards dis- 

 tinctions of species, hut also of those relating to geographical distribution. 



Researches limited to single districts are not necessarily liable to these 

 disadvantages, "because they can more easily command the smaller amount 

 of observations, and obtain an acquaintance with the physical conditions 

 which may lead to then- explanation. 



It is with this view that I have ventured to place on record what little 

 I observed of the Zoology of Kachh. I scarcely need to add that I greatly 

 regret the incompleteness of the lists, but as the duties of the geologist are 

 entirely different from those of a zoologist, he can hardly pretend to give 

 satisfaction to both. During my rather hurried visit, my attention was 

 chiefly directed towards the Vertebrata,* and in this branch I attempted to 



* Invertebrata are also by comparatively small numbers represented, as may be 

 indicated by the following notice : 



Of Crustacea I have obtained only two species in the streams, a small Palamon 

 which is tolerably common, and a Chirocephalus ( = Branchipus, apud Milne- 

 Edwards) ; the latter only occurred in a slightly brackish stream west of Bhuj. Mr. 

 Wood-Mason who examined the two species tells me that the latter presents a remark- 

 able modification of the antennae. — The Arachnoids, which were specially looked after, 

 did not yield more than twenty species, chiefly of the families Epeiridce and Lycosidce, 

 and a few Salticidce. Of Scorpions I got four species ; ScolopendrcB three ; Juli two or 

 three. The Coleoptera commonly seen mostly belong to the Blapsidce, which form an 

 important article of food to the hedgehog ; Searabceidce and Qarabidee are comparatively 

 few, and still rarer other kind of beetles. Butterflies, on account of the almost con- 

 stant strong winds, are very rarely seen, indeed with the exception of a few small 

 Pieridce and Lyccenidce, and a number of Microlepidoptera, I have scarcely seen any 

 other species. The Hymenopt&ra are mostly represented by Ichneumonidce. Ants are 

 a real pest in houses and in the camp, in spite of the dryness of the climate. Of 

 PJiynchota, my collection barely contains a dozen species, including the Nepce and 

 Cicadce, but they must be more numerous during the wet season. Of Libellulidce I 

 obtained about ten species, and not many more are, I think, procurable in winter. 

 BlattidcB I have seen three, the most common is Periplaneta germanica. Of Acrididce 

 &e., about a dozen or more species occurred. 

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