The synonymy has been thoroughly revised, the original descriptions having been consulted in every case. A list of the principal works quoted, with their abbreviated titles, is appended. The British-Museum catalogues by Dr. Gray are referred to as seldom as possible, because of their inaccuracy. A considerable proportion of the mistakes made by Indian naturalists, in nomenclature especially, may be traced to these catalogues.
Space does not permit the addition of a sketch of mammalian anatomy. The accompanying woodcuts of a lion's skeleton and of a dog's skull will suffice to show the names and position of the principal bones. For further details with regard to the skeleton the student will do well to consult Flower's 'Introduction to the Osteology of the Mammalia,' from which, by permission of the author and publishers, the woodcuts of a dog's skull are taken. For the anatomy of the soft parts no similar compendium exists; a sketch will be found in the article "Mammalia" in the 'Encyclopædia Britannica,' but a general work on mammalian anatomy is still wanted. The teeth have been treated in separate works by Owen, Giebel, and others. Here it is only necessary to say that they are divided into incisors, canines, premolars, and molars; that the three first-named are, as a rule, preceded in the young mammal by milk or deciduous teeth; that the upper canine is the tooth behind the premaxillary suture or in contact with it, and the lower canine the tooth that, when the jaws are closed, comes immediately in front of the upper canine; the teeth in front of the canines are incisors, those behind premolars and molars.
It will be difficult within the limited space available for me to acknowledge the assistance of all who have aided me in preparing the present work. I am indebted particuirly to General R. Strachey and Col. Yule, and equally so to Professor Flower and Dr. Günther for aid most liberally given on all occasions, also to Mr. P. L. Sclater, Dr. J. Anderson, Sir J. Fayrer, Prof. A. Newton, Mr. A. Hume, Prof. Mivart, Mr. J. Scully, Sir O. B. St. John, Col. J. Biddulph, Mr. Davison, Captain Bingham, Mr. W. Daly, Rev. S. Fairbank, Mr. Wood Mason, Mr. W. L. Sclater, Mr. H. E. Watson, the late Mr. L. Mandelli, and Mr. J. Murray, for assistance of various kinds. Above all I am under obligations to Mr. G. E. Dobson and Mr. Oldfield Thomas, not merely for the great extent to which this work has been facilitated by their writings, but also for advice and information of many kinds and on numerous occasions. But for Mr. Dobson's researches amongst the Chiroptera and Insectivora, the labour of preparing a work on Indian Mammalia would have been greater bv at least one third.
