1872.] 
2 LI 
Notice of the Mammals and Birds inttabitinq Kachh, — 
by Dr. 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 lull undei standing 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, but 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 their 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 aie 
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 Vertebrate* and in this branch I attempted to 
* Invertebrata are also by oomparatively 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 Chiroeephalus ( Ilravdapus apuc in,.- 
Edwards) ; the latter only occurred in a slightly brackish stream west of Bhuj. Mr 
Wood-Mason who examined the two species tells mo that the latter presents a remark, 
able modification of the antomuo-The Arachnoids, which were specially looked after, 
did not yield more than twenty species, chiefly of the families Bpemd* and l Lyconte, 
and a few Baltic; id*. Of Scorpions I got four species ; Scokpe^r* three >i Juh two or 
three. The Coleoptem commonly seen mostly belong to the Blapsuht, which form an 
important article of food to the hedgehog ; Bcarabvid* and Oorabrto 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 LyccenM*, and a number of Microlepidoptera 1 have scarcely seen any 
other species. The Hymenoptera are mostly represented by Ichneumonul* Ants are 
a real pest in houses and in the camp, in spite of the dryness of the climate. Of 
Rtvynchota my collection barely contains a dozen species, including the Nepce and 
Cicada, but they must be more numerous during the wet season. Of Ubellulida l 
obtained about ten species, and not many more are, I thmk, procurable in winter. 
BUttidte I have seen three, the most common is Pcriplaneta cjmrmxka. Of Acridid* 
&e., about a dozen or more species occurred. 
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