INTRODUCTION. 



XI 



A few of those characteristic of the Persian fauna or belonging to the 

 Palsearctic region are 2Edon familiaris, Bucanetes githagineus, Emberiza 

 huttoni, Melanocorypha himaculata, Gorvus umbrinus, Alcedo ispida, 

 Hypocolius ampelinus, Oriolus galbula, Saxicola albonigra et morio, 

 Hypolais obsoleta, Garrulus atricapillus, Gerthilauda deserto7'um, Pterocles 

 lichtensteinii et coronata, Pufflnus persicus and Lams gelastes. 



There are also a few which extend their range north only into the 

 Punjab, atid are not found either south oreast of the Province; such are 

 Oypaetus barhatus, Faleo babylonicvs, Falco cesalon, Aquila chrysaetos, 

 Ualicetus albidlla, Merops apiaster, Goracias garrula, Picus sindianus, 

 Saxicola leucomela, Luseiniola neglectus et melanopogon, Anthus black- 

 istoni, Paliimhus easiotis, Pterodes alchata, Caccabis chuJcar, Ammoperdix 

 bonhamii and Vanellus vulgaris, while those peculiar to Sind are, as 

 far as present information extends, Pyctoris griseigularis, Blanfordius 

 striatulus, Phylloscopus sindianus, Passer pyr7-honotus, Serinus pectoralis 

 and Podiceps nigricoUis. 



Reptiles are not numerous in Sind, and if the species of Hydrophidce 

 are excluded, there are not many which are venomous. As far as they 

 have been collected, species of all four orders occur, viz : — Ohelonia, 

 Sauria, Ophidia and Amphibia, the number of genera and species be- 

 longing to each of these being comparatively as many as occurs in other 

 parts of India. Climatal conditions are rather favourable to these, and 

 there are many species, especially among the Lacertilia, which are not 

 only peculiar to Sind, but interesting, as being forms ranging into the 

 Palsearctic region ; others are of a wide range, and a few are peculiar to 

 the Province ; in fact, the Paljearctio and oriental genera are here inter- 

 mingled. Among lizards, the genus Psammosaurus is a North African 

 form ; Scincus, a North African and Arabian, also Seps and Agama ; all 

 these occurring in the Southern Palsearctic region. Of 21 families of 

 the Ophidia, represented in India, 12, or more than one-half, occur in 

 Sind, and, except the Grotalidce, all the venomous forms occur. There 

 are as many species of Lizards as Snakes, and nearly twice as manj 

 Chelonians as there are Amphibians, The total number of species of all 

 the different orders and families is 97 ; of these — 



