During our travels in India and High Asia, a careful collection of geographical names in the native spelling, and, if possible, with an interpretation added, became necessary for guiding us in transcribing those names in European characters. We soon observed that a considerable part of such information presented novel, unexpected, and well defined details, particularly for the countries beyond India. We directed our attention to it, therefore, with the greater zeal, as it gave us the idea of incorporating into our publications also a selection of geographical and ethnographical names.