PEEFACE. 
Vll 
from the district of the Ked Sea Littoral have frequent notice in the volume. Even 
here, however, it was not found practicable to hunt for larger game in the neighbouring 
hills, because the ubiquitous Osman Digna, with some of his followers, was located 
there in 1893-4 and was threatening an attack. 
There being no doubt as to my duty in the circumstances in which I was placed, 
I thankfully had recourse to the advice and guidance of Dr. W. T. Blanford, 
whose tastes and sympathies were akin to those of my late husband ; they 
had been drawn together in scientific pursuits, not exclusively zoological, during 
the years they had spent in India, and had formed a friendship that remained 
unbroken. 
When Dr. Blanford saw the extent of the materials left in varying degrees of 
incompleteness, he encouraged the desire to produce a volume which might prove not 
unworthy to be placed alongside that treating of the Eeptiles and Batrachians. To 
fill up the blanks, however, required zoological experience and fitness to gather in the 
still unfulfilled promises of further contributions from Egypt, and likewise the time at 
command to examine and determine these. It was also felt to be of the utmost 
importance to place the materials in the hands of some one in a measure familiar 
with the Author’s method of working; and it was accordingly decided to approach 
Mr. W. E. de Winton on the subject. He had the great advantage of having assisted 
Dr. Anderson in a few of the sections during the previous winter; and after due 
consideration he complied with the joint request of Dr. Blanford and myself to 
undertake the revision and completion, as far as possible, of the present volume. 
Certain portions— e. g., Soricidse and Leporidae—have been entirely written, and 
others in part re-written, by Mr. de Winton from notes left by Dr. Anderson, and he 
alone is responsible for the passages enclosed in square brackets or followed by his 
initials. 
The manner in which Mr. de Winton has executed his task will commend itself 
to zoologists generally; but it ought to be remembered that he laboured under the 
disadvantage of the absence of specimens which were confidently expected when the 
work was begun. 
h 
