PEEFACE. 



Xlll 



fever — so much so that for some time previously hardly one of them could work, and we had 

 been compelled to hire some of the Sultan's men. 



" Having shipped our collections and gone on board the ' Dagmar,' she left Socotra on 

 March 30, and after a smooth but tediously slow passage reached Aden on April 3. 



" Here on our return we experienced as much kindness as before. General and Mrs Loch 

 extended to me their hospitality at the Residency. Our collections were overhauled and 

 finally packed for transmission to Britain by the P. & 0. steamer ' Deccan,' which reached 

 Aden early on April 10. By this steamer I also took passage, and travelling to Brindisi, 

 arrived in London on the 21st. Alexander Scott went by the ' Deccan' to Southampton, which 

 brought him to England with the collections early in May. Lieutenant Cockburn rejoined 

 his regiment at Aden. 



" Collections of specimens in all branches of Natural History were made. As may be 

 supposed, I devoted particular attention to the Botany of the island, and there are dried 

 specimens of between 500 and 600 species of flowering plants in the collection, besides some 

 Cryptogams. A certain number of specimens were brought to England alive, amongst them 

 being such interesting plants as the Dragon's-blood tree and the true Aloe. A misfortune 

 deprived me of a number of living plants, and on this wise : — Having selected the majority of 

 the more delicate living plants I purposed to bring them with me to London, as thereby 

 they would arrive a fortnight earlier than by going to Southampton. At Brindisi, however, 

 the Custom House officer seized the plants and insisted on their being taken back to the ship, 

 not allowing me even to book them by another steamer which would have taken them more 

 directly to England. Consequently the plants had to travel up to Venice and thence back to 

 Suez before they could be forwarded to Britain. 



" Specimens of the gums produced on the island and used in commerce have been brought 

 home. In the zoological collections there are a few snakes and lizards, some birds, freshwater 

 fish, Mollusca, Crustacea, and Insecta of various kinds. 



" Some of the land Mollusca have come to this country alive. Two living civet cats I was 

 bringing for the Zoological Gardens died on the way home. 



" Illustrative of the geology of the island are about 500 specimens of rocks and minerals 

 from various localities on the island. Igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks are all 

 represented. 



" I regret that I was unable for some time after my return to turn my attention to the 

 distribution of the collections for examination. I have recently, however, done so, and the 

 following gentlemen have kindly consented to examine certain groups : — 



Zoological. 



Geological. 



Botanical. 



f Birds, .... 



I Land shells, 



i, Crustacea, .... 

 Remaining Zoological collections, 



I 



{Igneous and metamorphic rocks, 

 Sedimentary, 

 f Algae, .... 

 | Fungi, .... 

 ^ Mosses and allies, 



Phanerogamic and Vascular 

 L. Cryptogamic plants, 



Mr Sclater and Dr Hartlaub. 

 Col. God win- Austen. 

 Prof. Huxley. 



Dr Giinther and Zoological staff of 

 British Museum. 



Professor Bonney. 



* * * 



Dr Dickie. 



Dr M. C. Cooke. 



* * * 



j- Dr Bayley Balfour. 



" The agreement made with the Committee as to the final disposition of the specimens will 

 be carried out, viz., the first set of specimens, zoological, to go to the British Museum ; the 



