Foreword 
WHEN the late Colonel J. C. Faunthorpe, former Commissioner of Lucknow 
and for more than twenty years with the Indian Civil Service, visited the 
American Museum of Natural History in 1918, he was deeply impressed 
with the method of taxidermy employed and the artistic manner in which animals 
were mounted in groups against specially prepared backgrounds. He noted, however, 
that the fauna of India was represented by but a few specimens and those not the 
most important. The American Museum therefore appeared to him to be one of the 
great institutions of the world in which to carry out his idea of securing a representative 
series of specimens of the fast vanishing mammals of Asia. 
Very shortly afterwards Mr. Arthur S. Vernay, who was a friend of Colonel 
Faunthorpe, offered to cooperate in this undertaking and as a result plans were at once 
formulated for the necessary field work. 
In a series of conferences with President Henry Fairfield Osborn, Colonel Faun- 
thorpe carefully explained his plan which met with a hearty response, for President 
Osborn has been greatly concerned with the deplorable rapidity with which the wild 
animal life of the world, especially among the larger species, is being depleted. He 
assured Colonel Faunthorpe of his desire to join with him to the fullest in supplying 
this need of the Museum. The groups which are now displayed are the fruit of this 
generous enterprise. 
In 1921 steps were taken to prepare for the first expedition to obtain these 
mammals, and since that time a number of expeditions have been made to secure group 
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