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vi Poll' and 'Gyps Nivicola' from his copy of Severtsoff's work on the Fauna of Turkestan. Of the remaining illustrations I am indebted for that of the Rhubarb Plant to Professor Maximovitch, of the Imperial Botanical Gardens of St. Petersburg; three are from photographs by Mr. J. Thomson, whose splendid photographic albums of China and its people are deservedly admired, and the remainder are borrowed from the 'Tour du Monde.'

In the following translation, while preserving the Author's meaning, I have endeavoured to remove from the path of the reader those stumbling-blocks which might arise from following too closely the original idiom; in this way Russian versts are rendered into English miles, Russian fathoms into feet or yards, degrees of Centigrade into Fahrenheit, old style dates into new style, &c.

I take this opportunity of expressing my thanks to Mr. Clements Markham, C.B., Hon. Sec. R.G.S., for an introduction to the publishers of this work; to Mr. Henry Dresser, F.Z.S.; to Dr. Günther, of the British Museum; to Mr. Robert Harrison, of the London Library; to Mr. Edward Weller, for the care and pains he has bestowed on the accompanying map; and to Mr. Cooper, who has executed the engravings.

It only remains to say a few words about the Author.

Lieut.-Col. Prejevalsky was born in the government of Smolensk of parents belonging to the class of landed gentry. He received his education at the